Union launches ‘mega action’ over alleged McDonald’s wage theft

The union representing McDonald’s workers is seeking at least $250 million in compensation for more than 250,000 people.

The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA), which represents fast food workers, says they’ve reached out to 10,000 McDonald’s employees who have reported they didn’t get the paid rest breaks they were entitled to.

The union is also calling for the fast food giant to be slugged with $250 million in penalties.

If successful, the case could be one of the biggest of its kind in Australia.

SDA secretary Gerard Dwyer says “this is a mega action now to try and just put a stop to what we say is completely unacceptable behaviour”.

“Workers in McDonalds have been given soft drink in exchange for a break, or they get microbreaks where they have a minute off here and a minute off there,” he said.

The FDA’s action is on behalf of all McDonald’s employees in the last six years.

Press PLAY below to hear what the union is alleging