McDonald’s sued by former workers
23 Jan 2015
McDonald's is being sued by 10 former workers in the Virginia federal court for racial and sexual discrimination, BBC reported.
The suit alleges that a franchise fired some employees because there were "too many black people".
The suit was being backed by a group campaigning for better wages for fast-food workers and the local Virginia National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
The fast food company had not yet specifically commented on the suit.
In a general statement McDonald's said, "McDonald's has a long-standing history of embracing the diversity of employees, independent franchisees, customers and suppliers, and discrimination is completely inconsistent with our values.
"McDonald's and our independent owner-operators share a commitment to the well-being and fair treatment of all people who work in McDonald's restaurants."
The suit comes as part of continuing effort on the part of labour organisers to hold McDonald's responsible for the behaviour of its franchisees.
According to McDonald's and other restaurant groups it should not be held responsible for the behaviour and labour practices of franchisees.
The company's position had however been weakened by the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which ruled in July that McDonalds "could be held jointly liable for labour and wage violations by its franchise operators".
According to the workers' federal complaint filed yesterday about 15 African-American employees of some southern Virginia restaurants run by Soweva were fired last May after several white employees were hired.
According to the complaint many of those fired were told by Soweva owner Michael Simon that while they were good workers they "didn't fit the profile" he was trying to build for the company.
According to the employees, McDonald's controlled nearly every aspect of how franchisees operated restaurants, however, corporate officials did nothing when they were contacted about the dismissals and "blatant racial discrimination."
McDonald's said in a statement that it had not seen the lawsuit and could not comment on the allegations, however it and its franchisees "share a commitment to the well-being and fair treatment of all people who work in McDonald's restaurants."
According to the complaint, before they were fired, African-American workers were frequently subject to demeaning terms such "ghetto" to describe them and with complaints that there were "too many black people in the store."
