McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE:MCD) stock was down 1.65% in mid-afternoon trading on September 17. Shares have dropped 4% over the past week as investors have responded poorly to the news that McDonald’s employees were planning a demonstration that will occur in several states tomorrow.
McDonald’s employees across the United States voted to stage a one-day strike on September 18 that will protest on-the-job sexual harassment.
The strike will begin at lunchtime and, according to organizers, is the first multi-state strike in history that will focus solely on sexual harassment. Reports in past years from Restaurant Opportunities Center United and others has found that sexual harassment is common in the restaurant industry, with both genders attesting to a widespread problem.
The strike announcement is an interesting development in the middle of a renewed campaign against sexual harassment, in some ways spearheaded by the "Me Too Movement". Some have criticized the movement for being co-opted solely by economically privileged layers of society. The strike organizers have attempted to draw attention to low-wage workers who have historically been particularly vulnerable to sexual abuse.
In an e-mail to the The Associated Press McDonald’s defended its internal policies on combating sexual harassment and abuse. McDonald’s also revealed a new initiative that will bring in third parties to help in improving the policies and procedures already in place.
