McDonald's 'right to work' wrongs

Hold the pickles and the lies!

Jessica Rocha is outreach coordinator for our friends at the N.C. Justice Center.

Last month Jessica volunteered to pass out literature at McDonald's stores in North Carolina where workers joined other fast food workers across the nation to go on strike. This week Jessica recounted her experience in an opinion article published in the News & Observer.

Jessica's task was to deliver information to store shift supervisors reminding them that the National Labor Relations Act protects the right of McDonald's workers to go on strike for better wages and the right to form a union without retaliation from their employer.

"Friendly smiles were most of what I got," said Jessica, but not at one restaurant.

At that store, two superiors who were district level people, I believe, were meeting in the dining area. They offered to get the shift supervisor, but that didn’t seem necessary since they were the supervisor’s supervisors. I handed the letter to them.

A comment accompanied one of their smiles: “This is a right-to-work state, darling, capisce?"

I’m sure that wasn’t meant as a threat, but it turns out that, si, don McDonald, io capisco.

What follows is an epic take-down by Jessica of the 'right to work' lie:

I understand that in a “right to work” state, unions are legal.

I understand that two or more people asking for better wages or working conditions or to be a part of a union is also legal. I understand that retaliating against workers who participate in such activities is, in fact, illegal.

I understand that “right to work” means I can join a union, that I can ask my coworkers to join a union with me (just maybe not on company time) and that we can seek recognition of our union through elections or other manners.

Read all of Jessica's amazing opinion article about what 'right to work' (for less) doesn't mean, and share it with your friends on Facebook!