The McDonald's Corporation has pioneered a global, highly standardised and fast production-line system, geared to maximum turnover of products and profits. McDonald's now employ more than a million mostly young people around the world: some say a million people who might otherwise be out of work, others however consider that they are in fact a net destroyer of jobs by using low wages and the huge size of their business to undercut local food outlets and thereby force them out of business. Is McDonald's a great job opportunity or are they taking advantage of high unemployment to exploit the most vulnerable people in society, working them very hard for very little money? Complaints from employees range from discrimination and lack of rights, to understaffing, few breaks and illegal hours, to poor safety conditions and kitchens flooded with sewage, and the sale of food that has been dropped on the floor. This type of low-paid work has even been termed 'McJobs'.
Trade Unionists don't like McDonald's either. The company is notorious for the vehemence with which they try to crush any unionisation attempt. They argue that all their workers are happy and that any problems can be worked out directly without the need for interference from a third party, but are they in fact just desperate to prevent any efforts by the workers to improve wages and conditions?
tell me more
McDonald's case
McDonald's QC's opening speech in the McLibel Trial
McFact Cards - detailed information about the business
Defendants' case
Opening speech in the McLibel Trial
Defence on employment.
Analysis of evidence heard in court
McLibel judgement
The verdict on employment.
Defendants' analysis of the verdict
NB. See the McLibel pages for more on the trial,
or the
daily transcripts for the evidence heard in court.
McLibel witnesses
Complete list of witnesses
DF - Siamak Alimi, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Karen Anstree, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Keith Baker, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Sarah Baker, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Alan Beech, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Adrian Brett, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Anthony Brien, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Daniel Cantor, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - A.Casey, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Ray Coton, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Andrew Cranna, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - William Davidson, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Craig Donachie, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Dudley-Boyden,ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Dan Gallin, Secretary, Int. Union Food Workers - TRADE UNIONS
DF - Simon Gibney, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - G.O.Gulliksen, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - C.Harrison, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Kevin Harrison, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Sarah Inglis, ex-employee - TRADE UNION DRIVE, CANADA
DF - Thomas Jenssen, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Hassen Lamti, ex-employee - TRADE UNIONS
DF - H Lamti - Frenchversion
DF - MP Logan, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Rosemary Lovatt, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Conor McCann, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - David McGee, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Nicholas McGill, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
SDF - ean Mrozek, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Elin Odlilien, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Danny Olive, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - T.W.Pattinson, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Phillip Pearson - TRADE UNIONS
DF - Omid Shafibeik, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Michael Soriano, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Peter Sutcliffe, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Ann Tobin, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Dave Turnbull, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Chantal Villeneuve, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
DF - Ian Whittle, ex-employee - WORKING CONDITIONS
PL - Almaz Anteneh, McD's - QUALITY & CONDITIONS
PL - John Atherton, McD's - WORKING CONDITIONS
PL - Jill Barnes, McD's - HYGINE & SAFETY
PL - Robert Beavers, McD's - MINORITY GROUPS
PL - Terry Carroll, McD's - SAFETY AT WORK
PL - Christopher Cox, McD's - WORKING CONDITIONS
PL - Mark Davis, McD's - WORKING CONDITIONS
PL - Florence Farrer, McD's - WORKING CONDITIONS
PL - Paul le Maire, McD's - WORKING CONDITIONS
PL - Michael Mehigan, McD's - UNIONS
PL - Sidney Nicholson, McD's - GENERAL
PL - Kevin Perrett, McD's - WORKING CONDITIONS
PL - Chris Purslow, McD's - HYGINE & SAFETY
PL - Sean Richards, McD's - WORKING CONDITIONS & FOOD
PL - David Roberts, McD's - GENERAL
PL - Neil Skehel, McD's - COST CUTTING
PL - Frank Stanton, McD's - WORKING CONDITIONS & FOOD
PL - Stan Stein, McD's - WORKING CONDITIONS
PL=Plaintiffs' (McDonald's), DF=Defence (Morris & Steel)
essays, books, reports
The Ritzer Debate Continued - Rob Silverstone
Priced Into Poverty - Low Pay Network
Working Lives In Catering - Yiannis Gabriel
History of union struggles against McJobs
Working Lives In Catering - Yiannis Gabriel
Working For Big Mac - Transnational Information Centre
Priced Into Poverty - Low Pay Network
The McDonaldization of Society - George Ritzer
Greasy Spoon Sweatshop - A Play by Robert S. Robbins
Banned Australian Leaflet- deals with McDonald's
and its employment practices
'What's It Like Working For Big Mac?' - Supressed Union Leaflet
press articles
Please see the Index of press cuttings for the most current articles.
McDonald's Chief Refuses ToReveal Pay In Libel Case
The Pleasant Peasants (Alberqurque, USA)
McDonald's Accused of Blatant Racism
McDonald's Staff 'Worked Among Sewage'
Sewage On McDonald's Kitchen Floor
Sewage In Big Mac Kitchen
Electrocuted - Safety Probe at McDonald's
Seven Nuggets and You're Out
McDonald's staff 'worked among sewage' Independent, 31 Oct 95
McDonald's Accused of Blatant Racism Evening Standard, 18 Oct 95
Sewage On McDonald's Kitchen Floor: Ex-Worker Press Association, 30 Oct 95
Sewage In Big Mac Kitchen Daily Mirror, 31 Oct 95
Electrocuted - Safety Probe At McDonald's Melbourne Sunday Age, 10 March 96
'McWorks Council' Condemned Union Federation; Geneva, Switzerland
Union Slams "Greedy" McDonald's GMB; 26th Sept 96
Teamsters taking another run at a McDonald's outlet Toronto Globe and Mail; 6th March 1997
Union starts drive at McDonald's outlet NewsWorld On-Line; 6th March 1997
Companies face increasing rows over how to choose worker representatives Sunday Observer; 15th Sept 96
Discontent brews at McDonald's Argus (Cape Town); 15th Sept 96; South Africa
Mother of worker killed at McDonald's wants case reopenedInternational Worker; 30th Nov 96
debate
Try the McJobs and Workers section of the McSpotlight Debating Room.
McDonald's publications
The McDonald's McFact Cards
Employment practices
interviews
D. Gallin, Gen Sec Intl. Union Food Wrkrs
G. Ritzer, 'McDonaldisation of Society'
Dave Morris, defendant in McLibel case
G. Giuliano, ex Ronald McDonald actor
search