Workers Say McDonald’s Fired Them for Union Activity
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-17/workers-tell-nlrb-that-mcdonald-s-fired-them-for-union-activity.html
The National Labor Relations Board is investigating whether employees at McDonalds Corp. (MCD) restaurants were fired for joining labor unions, a case that threatens to disrupt the decades-old fast-food franchise model.
A worker group accused McDonalds locations in New York of terminating nine employees for their union involvement and organizing activities, according to documents obtained by Bloomberg News through a Freedom of Information Act request. Charges were filed by the Fast Food Workers Committee for incidents occurring from November 2012 until April this year.
By including the parent company in the case, the workers are targeting the restaurant owners and McDonalds as a joint employer. If the labor board decides against the company, it could set a precedent for franchised restaurants, putting more responsibility on parent corporations. That could raise costs for restaurant chains, as well as deter entrepreneurs from getting into franchise businesses, said Steve Caldeira, president of the International Franchise Association.
Thousands of small business owners would lose control of the operations and the equity they worked so hard to build, said Caldeira, who expects a decision in the case soon. Equally troubling would be the millions of jobs that would be placed in jeopardy.