McDonald’s Has Just Staged a #MeToo Strike

In an effort to fight on the job sexual harassment issues, McDonald’s employees are on strike.

Protestors demonstrated outside company headquarters in Chicago on Tuesday to draw attention to alleged sexual harassment at work.

According to Law360, ten employees at the fast food giant have filed charges against the company.

Women’s committees have been formed by employees at dozens of restaurants and will include several women who filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in May, according to The Associated Press.

“We have strong policies, procedures and training in place specifically designed to prevent sexual harassment,” McDonald’s said in a statement. The company added, “To ensure we are doing all that can be done, we have engaged experts in the areas of prevention and response, including RAINN, to evolve our policies so everyone who works at McDonald’s does so in a secure environment every day. ”

“It’s sad that we have to walk off the job in order to be treated with respect at McDonald’s, but we’re not going to stay quiet while the company ignores the harassment we’re facing,” said Tanya Harrell, a McDonald’s worker from New Orleans.

“We are hoping that at the end of this strike, McDonald’s upholds and actually enforces its zero-tolerance policy with regard to sexual harassment,” says Fight for $15 lawyer Mary Joyce Carlson.

“McDonald’s should conduct mandatory trainings on sexual harassment for managers and employees.

They should create a safe and effective method for receiving — and responding to — complaints from employees who report sexual harassment. We want McDonald’s corporate and franchisee reps to participate on a committee with its women workers and leaders of major national women’s groups to chart a path forward to end sexual harassment at the company.”

“It is absurd that in response to worker’s demands to strengthen sexual harassment and abuse policies, McDonald’s has chosen to hire Seyfarth Shaw at Work, a firm that defended the Weinstein Company in the Harvey Weinstein affair,” said Shaunna Thomas, executive director of women’s advocacy group UltraViolet. “If McDonald’s is serious about meeting worker demands, they’d start by firing Seyfarth and listening to their employees.”

Disclaimer: We have no position in Mcdonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD) and have not been compensated for this article.