August 12, 2022
The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association (SDA) has launched a massive compensation bid on behalf of 250,000 current and former McDonald’s workers across Australia.
The union says its Federal Court claim against 323 McDonald’s operators – and the fast food giant itself – follows almost two years of investigation.
The SDA alleges the full-time, part-time and casual workers were denied paid rest breaks at nearly 1000 current and former McDonald’s sites.
A union spokesperson confirmed to southburnett.com.au the McDonald’s franchise in Kingaroy would be included in the mass action.
The SDA says that under the Fast Food Award, all McDonald’s workers are entitled to an uninterrupted 10-minute break when working four hours or more.
The union alleges that not only were McDonald’s workers at some stores not informed of their rest break entitlements, they were also told breaks could be exchanged for a free soft drink or going to the toilet.
The SDA is seeking thousands of dollars in compensation for workers who did not receive their legal break entitlements and asking the Court to award penalties against the 400 employers who have operated McDonald’s sites in the past six years.
The union says the claim is one of the biggest of its kind in Australian history and could total $250 million in compensation plus penalties.
