: Oh, yes, there is much democracy in my workplace. The management organises crewmeeting and rap-sessions at regelar times. At a rap-session we are free to give our opinion (anonymous!!!). So you are free to talk.: I know that some people don't want to believe this.
You are absolutely correct. I am one of those who does not believe it because I have been to a few of these rap-sessions and know how they work! And let me tell you, there is nothing democratic about them. First of all, those who organise and chair these sessions are all company people hence not impartial. They are in charge of implementing company policy ie. impose discipline and control on the workers, lower wages as much as possible, extract maximum output from workers etc. So these people have vested interest in supressing the crew's democratic & employment rights.
Secondly, the crew do not have automatic rights to attend rap-sessions. If for example you are on a shift when the sessions happen, then the shif-running manager could refuse to let you attend. So, the store managers can basically hand-pick those who attend and they usually do. If you have serious criticisms then you may never see a rap session.
Thirdly, rap sessions are used to weed out "inefficient" managers rather than help workers. It often happend in my store that managers were punished as a result of being praised by crew in a rap session. Being liked by crew was taken as a sign of insufficient authority and bad management. On the other hand, if a manager was criticised for being too heavy handed and disrespectful by the crew in a rap session, s/he whould get praised by manager colleagues and the company for effective management!
Finally, as rap sessions are run by company reps, you could certainly compromise your position by criticising the company policy and practices and eventually get the sack for this.
So don't give us the crap company line. If McD really believed in and wanted democracy, then they would not fight unionisation tooth and nail!
