TAMPA BAY, FL — Residents might want to avoid McDonald’s at lunch time today. Tampa Bay McDonald’s workers plan to walk out to demonstrate their support for a St. Petersburg McDonald’s employee who was physically accosted by a customer last week.
The confrontation was captured on a video that has since gone viral.
Employees are calling for fast-food chains to better protect employees and will walk out at 11 a.m. They want more training for employees and managers on how to handle violence in the workplace.
“No one should have to fear for their own safety when they report to work each day, but it’s very clear I’m not safe at McDonald’s,” Gail Rogers, a Tampa McDonald’s worker, said in a statement.
Disturbed that the restaurant was no longer making plastic straws available to customers, Daniel Willis Taylor, 40, began yelling at employee Yasmine James, 20, at the McDonald’s at 4595 34th St. S in St. Petersburg on New Year’s Eve.
Taylor became angry and grabbed James’ uniform collar, trying to pull her across the counter. James reacted by punching and hitting Taylor.
Organizers of the protest say they want McDonald’s to “establish store security protocols, and provide protection and a voice on the job for its predominantly black and Latino women workforce,” according to the news release.
Organizers of the walkout pointed to a study showing the risk fast-food workers face daily:
A 2016 survey by Hart Research Associates found 40 percent of females working in fast-food retail faced unwanted sexual behavior or comments at work. The same research group published the results of a survey a year before showing 87 percent of fast-food workers had suffered some type of on-the-job injury.
“I’m going on strike because at McDonald’s, we’re subjected to all types of behavior that has no place at work — from physical attacks and armed robberies, to sexual harassment, to racial discrimination,” Rogers said. “We won’t back down until McDonald’s takes responsibility for protecting all workers on the job.”
McDonald’s has not responded to the protest.
James said she’s afraid to return from work and is taking a leave of absence. Her mother, Sherrie Kelly, has set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for her daughters medical bills and expenses while she’s off work. To far, the campaign has raised $6,631.
James plans to hold a press conference today during the walkout at the McDonald’s where she was attacked.
See related stories: St. Pete Straw Ban Leads To Viral Confrontation At McDonald’s
Video: Man Accused Of Attacking McDonald’s Workers Over Straw
GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner.
Video via Brenda Biandudi
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