Food & Drink
A living wage for banana workers
UK retailers commit to close living wage gaps in international banana supply chains.
3 March 2023
Fresh allegations of sexual harassment at McDonald’s, including claims that a manager requested ‘sex for shifts’, have renewed calls for action to protect young workers.
The continuing investigation by the BBC into the fast-food giant uncovered a workplace where younger employees, some still in their teens, are subjected to sexual harassment and discrimination.
As both political and public pressure grows, McDonald’s CEO Alistair Macrow today (07 Jan) told the Government’s Business and Trade Committee that he was committed to investigating the allegations; he said these cases… ‘are abhorrent, unacceptable, and there is no place for them in McDonald’s’.
But the damage has been done for many victims – some of whom said they felt silenced or dismissed when they asked for help.
Now, over 700 junior MacDonald’s employees have joined legal action against the firm.
‘Sex for shifts is beyond shocking; it exploits the vulnerability of young workers on zero hours contracts and is a total breach of trust.’
RUTH SPARKES
Co-founder of the harassment reporting platform SaferSpace
A 2020 survey by the UK Government Equalities Office revealed that younger workers aged 18 to 24 were the most likely to experience sexual harassment in the workplace.
‘The power imbalance, together with a lack of awareness about their rights, often leaves younger employees as easy targets for exploitation.’
RUTH SPARKES
Co-founder of the harassment reporting platform SaferSpace
While it’s McDonald’s in the ‘hot seat’ this week, the issues highlighted by the BBC are widespread. Industries that rely heavily on younger workers have repeatedly failed to address sexual harassment.
While the new Worker Protection Act requires employers to prevent sexual harassment, Ruth Sparkes, co-founder of the harassment reporting platform SaferSpace, believes more is needed.
‘A law on paper isn’t going to protect young workers if there are no mechanism to enforce it.
‘Young workers should have transparent, accessible pathways to report harassment without fear of retaliation, and employers should demonstrate that they take these complaints seriously, with visible consequences.”
‘This should be a wake-up call for every employer. Young people entering the workforce deserve more than just a ‘pay check’, they deserve respect and safety.
‘It’s not only about McDonald’s, or Harrods, or all the other high-profile employers who’ve been shown as lacking when it comes to sexual harassment. It’s about making sure that no young person, in any workplace, college, or university, suffers abuse as part of their every day life.’RUTH SPARKES
Co-founder of the harassment reporting platform SaferSpace
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