: I don't believe that they have any interest in the people who buy their products, or the people who work for them. I should know - I used to work there!What made you decide to work for them? Mcdonalds was around prior to you commencing work for them, you obviously didn't have these views to take a job with them. Didn't you know about their destruction of the environment and poor treatment of their workers (allegedly) before you started working for them? Why didn't you speak to some of the workers there and ask them how they felt working for McDonalds before you started working for them? I see young girls all the time in their generic non-sexist uniforms walking around. If it was me I would have had a chat with them on a personal basis telling them I was considering working for McDonalds. what did they think of it?
: And before you say it, this is not just a case of sour grapes. I was doing ok for myself there, and if I had stayed on, by now I would have been a manager.
Yeah sure !
: However, I became aware of many pratices within the company that I found rather loathsome. For example, the way they treat their staff. Staff are constantly harassed to go faster, work harder, yet are rarely rewarded for their hard work and dedication.
I have to do this in my job, I feel thankful for my weekly pay packet. It is the same in any job. Many workers inwardly feel they should "be rewarded better" and they receive little recognition for a hard days work. I feel this way sometimes too. This is normal as long as it doesn't manifest itself. I don't feel any animosity towards my employer for feeling this way as overall I enjoy the people I work with. We won't always agree with every decision our employer makes. That's life. Every person today has to justify their keep. There is always someone on the dole queue ready and willing to take your place.
: The store I worked in made over £2million profit a year, yet we didn't see any of that.
Every company I know is in business to make money = profit. If they don't they cannot employ you. There are no businesses I know, including Mcdonalds that are in business to lose money. What do you expect - a cut of the profits for being a crew member on top of your weekly wage? Talk about being greedy ! Commission on every "Big Mac" you sell? You talk about McDonalds being greedy !! I think you are a hipocrite.
: I used to work the 'close' shift quite often. This is where you start at 4pm, and work until the store is closed, and everthing cleaned. This shift was often understaffed, and we had to work until 2/3am
Probably because that time of day, not many people come in! You should have thought about what your duties would likely to be before taking up this sort of work. If you didn't then you made an unwise decision. If you couldn't have foreseen what your duties may have involved, then that is your own fault. You take a job on, the position comes normally with a "Job Description" and normally it says "other duties as directed by your superiors" as long as this is reasonable (cleaning is a reasonable request) the you are expected to do it. In the military forces, failure to carry out your superiours reasonable requests is called insubordination. A punishable offence.
: with no overtime. Also, I saw managers altering employee's clock-cards while the employee was not there.
This isn't McDonalds fault. This sounds like a localised (assuming it was the store you worked in) isolated incident. You should have reported this to his superiors and if no result, then to the appropriate authorities. If you didn't your just as guilty as the Managers who did it for your inaction and "turning your head the other way" -guilty by knowingly allowing this practice to continue unchecked.
: This is only one of the reasons why I think McDonald's are shite, and I really think that you should look into the issues yourself. Just because one judge found some allegations hard to prove
Well, the judge based his decision on the evidence presented. If it was 'hard to prove' as you say, then why would I need to look into it further?
: Maybe you should go and get a job there yourself,
Sorry, but I have already a well paid job. I don't think they would pay me what I am currently on. Thanks for the informed advice.
: who blindly applauds multi-national companies without being aware (or maybe without caring) about the global devestation they cause,
Sorry, but no one has found McDonalds guilty of any "global devastation" Have they been fined under any environmental act , either in the UK or USA? I know they haven't here in Australia. Provide me with the facts, not rhetoric. Before you make blind judgments about their negligence, where are your facts? As far as this ruling in the UK, the judge in the case wasn't asked to rule on any environmental issues. It was a pure and simple "libel" case. This is a civil matter, not an environmental court. We have the EPA here (Environment Protection Authority) and they have a special court to prosecute environmental defaulters (both corporations and individuals). I am sure the UK have something similar for these type of cases. If McDonalds were found guilty in such a court, then I would have to probably agree with you, but not until then. Did you know every time you flush the toilet you are contributing to the "global devastation" Do you live in an environmentally friendly house? Do you have "septic tank" ? No I don't believe in applauding McDonalds at all. What I do believe in is that people like you should think before they make wide ranging allegations and make ill-informed statements get their facts straight before doing so.
:McDonalds? What have they ever done for you?
Nothing, but I don't need to "jump on the bandwagon" like you have since you have obviously changed your viewpoint since working for them, it is apparent someone got on your nerve there or the work was just too hard for you and the position didn't meet your expectations. I feel sorry for you.
