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The plaintiffs are looking to form class-action lawsuits that could incorporate over 30,000 employees. They claim that their employers at McDonald's locations--which include corporate owned stores and franchises in California, Michigan and New York--systematically cut workers' pay through practices such as tampering with time-sheets, withholding overtime pay, docking pay for uniforms, forcing workers to clock out while working during non-busy store hours, and barring workers from taking breaks.
The seven separate lawsuits "have been filed to stop this widespread wage theft," said Joseph Sellers, one of the attorneys for the workers, in a conference call with reporters. "They highlight a broad array of unlawful pay practices, which together reflect ways in which McDonald's has withheld pay from its low-paid workers in order to enrich the corporation and its shareholders."
"They were requiring employees to perform work that was simply never paid," said Sellers. "Our clients are among the most economically vulnerable in our society, and they work for a company that generated more than $28 billion in revenue last year and earned more than $5 billion in profits."
The fast food industry has come under increased scrutiny throughout the year from a growing movement of labor unions and non-union employees, who say the industry needs to start paying workers above poverty wages.
Fight for 15 and other groups have staged repeated protests and strikes across the nation, calling on the fast food companies to pay at least a living wage of $15 dollars per hour among other improvements to labor conditions.
The lawyers said the workers were referred to them by Fight for $15.
"The most significant threat posed by the potential class actions - one apparent arm in a campaign of media, consumer, political, economic and workplace pressure on fast food giants - may be its potential to draw scrutiny and force disclosures about the relationship between the giant McDonald's corporation...and its smaller individual franchisees," writes Josh Eidelson at Salon.com.
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Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
The plaintiffs are looking to form class-action lawsuits that could incorporate over 30,000 employees. They claim that their employers at McDonald's locations--which include corporate owned stores and franchises in California, Michigan and New York--systematically cut workers' pay through practices such as tampering with time-sheets, withholding overtime pay, docking pay for uniforms, forcing workers to clock out while working during non-busy store hours, and barring workers from taking breaks.
The seven separate lawsuits "have been filed to stop this widespread wage theft," said Joseph Sellers, one of the attorneys for the workers, in a conference call with reporters. "They highlight a broad array of unlawful pay practices, which together reflect ways in which McDonald's has withheld pay from its low-paid workers in order to enrich the corporation and its shareholders."
"They were requiring employees to perform work that was simply never paid," said Sellers. "Our clients are among the most economically vulnerable in our society, and they work for a company that generated more than $28 billion in revenue last year and earned more than $5 billion in profits."
The fast food industry has come under increased scrutiny throughout the year from a growing movement of labor unions and non-union employees, who say the industry needs to start paying workers above poverty wages.
Fight for 15 and other groups have staged repeated protests and strikes across the nation, calling on the fast food companies to pay at least a living wage of $15 dollars per hour among other improvements to labor conditions.
The lawyers said the workers were referred to them by Fight for $15.
"The most significant threat posed by the potential class actions - one apparent arm in a campaign of media, consumer, political, economic and workplace pressure on fast food giants - may be its potential to draw scrutiny and force disclosures about the relationship between the giant McDonald's corporation...and its smaller individual franchisees," writes Josh Eidelson at Salon.com.
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The plaintiffs are looking to form class-action lawsuits that could incorporate over 30,000 employees. They claim that their employers at McDonald's locations--which include corporate owned stores and franchises in California, Michigan and New York--systematically cut workers' pay through practices such as tampering with time-sheets, withholding overtime pay, docking pay for uniforms, forcing workers to clock out while working during non-busy store hours, and barring workers from taking breaks.
The seven separate lawsuits "have been filed to stop this widespread wage theft," said Joseph Sellers, one of the attorneys for the workers, in a conference call with reporters. "They highlight a broad array of unlawful pay practices, which together reflect ways in which McDonald's has withheld pay from its low-paid workers in order to enrich the corporation and its shareholders."
"They were requiring employees to perform work that was simply never paid," said Sellers. "Our clients are among the most economically vulnerable in our society, and they work for a company that generated more than $28 billion in revenue last year and earned more than $5 billion in profits."
The fast food industry has come under increased scrutiny throughout the year from a growing movement of labor unions and non-union employees, who say the industry needs to start paying workers above poverty wages.
Fight for 15 and other groups have staged repeated protests and strikes across the nation, calling on the fast food companies to pay at least a living wage of $15 dollars per hour among other improvements to labor conditions.
The lawyers said the workers were referred to them by Fight for $15.
"The most significant threat posed by the potential class actions - one apparent arm in a campaign of media, consumer, political, economic and workplace pressure on fast food giants - may be its potential to draw scrutiny and force disclosures about the relationship between the giant McDonald's corporation...and its smaller individual franchisees," writes Josh Eidelson at Salon.com.
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