USA TODAY International Edition
McDonald’s workers are set to strike over COVID- 19
Organizers cite safety amid widespread cases
Hundreds of McDonald’s workers in 20 cities plan to strike Wednesday on the day before the company’s annual shareholders meeting – part of an effort to pressure the fast- food chain into improving what they say are inadequate protections for employees during the COVID- 19 pandemic. Labor organizers say there have been scores of McDonald’s workers with COVID- 19 in at least 17 states. They also cite a survey of more than 800 McDonald’s workers from March 31 to April 6 in which 42% reported being told not to wear masks and gloves by management. The survey also said 46% came to work feeling sick because they were afraid they would be disciplined or penalized. The strike is supported by the Service Employees International Union and is being organized by the “Fight for $ 15” minimum- wage labor campaign. “This is about choices,” SEIU President Mary Kay Henry said. “McDonald’s can do the right thing and protect its workers. It is choosing not to.” The company disputes the allegations by these workers, saying they are not representative of the 850,000 McDonald’s employees nationwide. McDonald’s also called it a strategically timed “publicity stunt” by labor organizers. Each side planned to take out fullpage advertisements in national newspapers this week on the subject of safety at McDonald’s restaurants. One ad is scheduled to appear Wednesday in USA TODAY in the form of an open letter to McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski. It was submitted by several public health professionals, including David Michaels, former chief of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. “Reports by McDonald’s crew members and media outlets reveal a pattern of severe shortcomings by McDonald’s under your leadership to fully comply with the highest standards for safety and hygiene at a time when such failures can have deadly consequences for workers, their families, their communities, and your customers,” the letter states. “We are aware of scores of cases of COVID- 19 positive workers in at least 16 states across the country. Time and time again, McDonald’s has failed to swiftly close and disinfect stores following confirmed reports of COVID- 19 among employees. To make matters worse, your restaurants have also failed to promptly inform workers of exposure to the virus and to provide pay during quarantine,” the letter continues. McDonald’s sent its own message Tuesday with an ad in The New York Times. It is planning to open dining rooms at restaurants where permitted and says its 14,000 locally owned restaurants are “putting safety first.” The ad also says that it has more than 50 new procedures that go “well beyond masks and gloves” to keep everyone safe. McDonald’s vice president for U. S. communications, David Tovar, said restaurants now have an ample amount of cleaning supplies, gloves and masks, and he suggested the employee survey from April was outdated at best. He also said labor actions at McDonald’s so far only have involved a small fraction of the workforce. Henry of the SEIU said these are widespread issues. “I don’t think there would be strikes happening on 20 cities all on the same day ( Wednesday) if this was not a widely experienced condition of all workers in fast- food restaurants,” she said. Strikers plan to hold a Zoom meeting with Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Wednesday to discuss their efforts to hold McDonald’s accountable.
McDonald’s disputes allegations, saying they are not representative of the 850,000 McDonald’s employees nationwide.