Statement to the press and media
regarding Pleasants Industries (a McDonald's franchise)
We call ourselves Pleasants' Peasants. We are an organization of former
employees of Pleasants Industries, which owns and operates seven McDonald's
franchises in the Albuquerque area.
From around January 25 to February 7, 1991, over twenty-five employees
were fired and are still being fired by Pleasants Industries. Dozens of
employees were targeted in an investigation. Before questioning we
were told this was just to be a rap session or some sort of interview. Instead,
we were taken, one by one, into back rooms and basements and accused of
violating store policies, which to our knowledge had never been enforced
in the past. We were interrogated by a hired private investigator (Randy
Ontiveros, of Rand Investigation Services) who was not even licensed to
practice in New Mexico. He threatened us with prosecution if we did not
answer his questions. Some of these questions were highly personal in
nature: Did we date other employees? What was our credit rating like?
Had we ever been in jail or arrested? Have we ever taken drugs? Do we have
any savings? What would we find from McDonald's if we went in your home?
We were told that if we co-operated and answered the questions he
asked we would retain our jobs. However, all of us were fired despite
our co-operation, (one person was fired three weeks after being interrogated
and four days after filing a workman's compensation claim). Randy Ontiveros
was given access to our personal files and was paid by the company to interrogate
us.
Some of us have worked at Pleasants' McDonald's for five years or more.
For many of us, Pleasants and McDonald's had been our only place of employment.
We deserve better than this! We deserve jobs with dignity and respect!
Some of the questions we want answered are: why didn't Pleasants check Randy
Ontiveros' license before hiring him? Does Mr Ontiveros have a history of
doing these types of interrogations? Was Pleasants trying to cut back on
labor expenses by firing people that made more than minimum wage?
(responses to quotes made by Pleasants in interview)
The members of Pleasants Peasants demand:
- 1. That we have the option of having our jobs back at Pleasant Industries;
- 2. That Pleasant's Industries clear our employee records;
- 3. That Pleasant's Industries compensates us for the stress we experienced
in the interrogations;
- 4. That back pay be given to all terminated employees, and;
- 5. That Pleasant's Industries join with us, the members of Pleasant's
Peasants, in publicly stating that we have reached an agreement on these
demands.
It is estimated by McDonald's corporation that one out of five people in
the united states has worked for McDonalds' at one time or another. We cannot
let this happen again!
With your help, we can try to prevent this from happening to future teens
working their first job and also to the growing number of mothers and senior
citizens who supplement their income by working part-time.
Help us obtain justice. Let Pleasants Industry and McDonald's corporation
know That we cannot accept these kinds of practices in Albuquerque.
Call Pleasants Industries and let them know you support Pleasants' Peasants
and want the company to negotiate with us. You can call Pleasants industries,
at:
345-7736
Or write to:
3813 Hawkins Rd. N.E.
Albuquerque, NM 87109
Let McDonald's corporation know how you feel about how Pleasants Industries
treats it's employees. call or write to:
Brian Erickson
McDonald's Corporation
5251 DTC Parkway Suite 300
Englewood, CO 80111
1 -303- 779-0444.
You can also help by sending donations for attorney fees to Pleasant's Peasants,
( be sure to write Pleasant's Peasants on your check)
C/o Southwest organizing project
211 10th St. S.W.
Albuquerque, NM 87102
