McDonald's workers come forward with new abuse claims
Over 100 more former and current McDonald's workers have come forward to allege they faced harassment and bullying at the chain, following a BBC investigation.
The BBC's probe that found workers as young as 17 claiming they were being groped and harassed almost routinely.
Now more stories are surfacing, putting further pressure on McDonald's.
The chain said it had "stringent" standards and would investigate all allegations brought to it.
"There are clearly instances where we have fallen short and for that we deeply apologise," Alistair Macrow, chief executive of McDonald's UK & Ireland said in a statement given to the BBC.
The BBC's first investigation heard from 100 current and recent UK staff at outlets of the fast-food chain, who reported experiencing abuse, including sexual assault, harassment, racism and bullying.
After the article was published on Tuesday, a flood of others got in touch to share allegations of similar experiences, including parents of employees.
The new allegations made to the BBC include:
- An older female manager forcing a younger worker's hand down her trousers and smacking her bum
- Managers smoking cannabis and taking cocaine in the offices while at work
- A manager dealing drugs to employees
- Punching and other unwanted physical contact, passed off as "banter"
- Sexual suggestions and comments made by managers to very young staff members, and about them in front of others
- Name calling, including slurs
- A manager threatening a staff member with a knife
Some workers told the BBC they felt too scared to report the alleged behaviour, others that they did complain but were ignored by managers or faced retribution...