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Palmdale McDonald’s employees protest over working conditions, safety concerns

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The rally happened around noon Wednesday, Jan. 5, at the Palmdale McDonald’s at 37217 47th Street East. [Image by BRYAN HALL]
PALMDALE – Cooks and cashiers at a McDonald’s in Palmdale held a lunchtime demonstration Wednesday to protest the burger giant’s alleged failure to address numerous safety concerns, including a broken ventilation fan for the nugget fryer that allegedly causes the kitchen to fill with hazardous smoke.

“Smoke from the nugget fryer has been filling the kitchen since before Thanksgiving, making my eyes red and giving me a cough, a sore throat and a headache,” according to Rosa Garcia, who has worked at the Palmdale McDonald’s for more than a decade. “The assistant store manager screams at us to get the food out faster, threatening us with retaliation in order to intimidate us. The real problem is that we do not have enough staff and the equipment we need to get the food out is broken, and these are safety hazards that must be fixed.”

Holding various protest signs, the group gathered around noon on Wednesday, Jan. 5, in the parking lot of the McDonald’s restaurant, located on the 37000 of 47th Street East in Palmdale.

In a formal complaint filed Dec. 21, 2021, with Cal/OSHA and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the workers noted that the ventilation fan has been broken for four weeks, causing them to experience symptoms such as headaches, coughing and sore throats. They also laid out a longstanding pattern of broken equipment in the store, including the AC unit, which breaks down in dangerous heat. The group also raised the alarm about unsafe staffing levels at the store, which they said leads to excess fatigue and exhaustion among the workers. [Read the OSHA complaint here.]

According to “Fight for $15 California” — the organization that local employees have designated to represent them in all contacts with CalOSHA — California fast-food workers are demanding that state lawmakers pass AB 257, the Fast Food Accountability and Standards (FAST) Recovery Act. The legislation would give workers a voice on the job to help set industry-wide standards for health and safety and hold fast-food corporations like McDonald’s accountable for maintaining safe and healthy workplaces.

According to “Fight for $15 California,” AB 257 would also address sexual harassment, wage theft, safety violations, violence and other long-standing issues in the fast-food industry by:

  • Giving workers a seat at the table. The bill would create a statewide Fast-Food Sector Council, which would include worker, government and industry representatives, to set minimum health, safety and employment standards across the California fast food industry.
  • Giving franchisees a seat at the table. Under the FAST Recovery Act, franchisees get a seat at the table too. Oftentimes, large franchisors increase California operators’ costs. With AB 257, franchisees can push back if resources are needed to comply with wage and safety standards.
  • Holding large fast-food corporations accountable. Corporate fast-food giants like McDonald’s will be required to ensure all their restaurants and franchisees have the resources they need to operate safely and in compliance with the law.

Management at the Palmdale McDonald’s did not immediately return calls seeking comment on Wednesday’s worker protest.

[BRYAN HALL]
[BRYAN HALL}
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70 comments for "Palmdale McDonald’s employees protest over working conditions, safety concerns"

  1. I use to work at the McDonald’s and it’s horrible they literally make you feel like you can’t leave after your shift is over they said “ no you have to stay longer “ and it’s funny because when there’s to much workers and instead of telling you you have to go home they jusy say “bye go clock out “ they also don’t give you your 30 minute break after 6 or 7 hours of working little I remember taking my 30 minute break 30 before I had to clock out and then I had to wait an extra 10 minutes to take my last ten this is literally with everyone and no one knows what to do or say Gladis is one of the rude managers as well even Angelo Gladis has fun ruining day and makes fun of the workers who have accents and tells them they need to talk right and she also is very noisy and likes to get into peoples personal life. Angelo literally made me out of everyone do everything I never gave him nothing but respect I would always offer to help him carry the huge box of fries becusse he would struggle with it and he would always put someone’s break before mine even tho I was already told to go on break by another manager and was there longer then the other people. As soon as he would get to work he would give me like 4 task to do in less then 10 seconds as soon as he sees me and I wouldn’t mind talking to the reporter to this cause it’s not right at all all the oldest lady’s are being put to work so hard I would always try my best to help them out I would say all the managers there under 33 are the good managers very nice and they really care a lot about us a lot and they are honestly jusy there to get there money and live there life with the college benefits McDonald’s has to offer. After I left I felt more relaxed in life and was finally mentally stable literally I would struggle sleeping from hearing that dam beeping noise but yes I hope no one ever experiences that working at McDonald’s I feel like a good staring pay would be like 17.25 at least to deal with all that and may I remind you they have you do 3 things at once most of the time I would pass out the food in drive thru and get all the drinks ready and would be taking orders on the mic at the same time drinks also include the fraps and coffees and slushys and ice creams and Mc flurries hopefully you don’t go threw this it’s not right thank you for hearing me out

  2. Am I correct that people want a meal for around the price of an hour’s work at minimum wage from a FAST-FOOD JOINT and expect service as in a 5-star restaurant?

    Americans want cheap stuff even knowing it comes out of the hides of minumum wage workers and yet they expect to be treated like VIPs. Only in America.

    Then, some on thr right vote for giving the millionaire owners of such corporations a TAX CUT.

    If you want great service PAY FOR IT AT A FINE DINING RESTAURANT.

    And, I suppose you also want spotless restrooms for cheapskakes like yourselves. Consider that other cheapskakes are slobs in those restrooms too.

  3. Every single mc DS has the same problem. Scrappy managers and scrappy employees super rude all the time and they never do any thing right. They dont even know how to listen.

    • I don’t get it with the post Corona job market being as good as it is why don’t they just leave and go work somewhere else. I mean gas stations grocery stores and hell diners are giving sign in bonuses for new employment contracts. Just quit and all find new jobs by the weeks end.

  4. When I can get my order put together correctly.. Then I’ll consider better pay, etc… As for now these a$$ hats are just as much of a problem as their managers.. NO ONE in these places really care about customers food being correct and warm. So I could careless about their working conditions…. and really against any up in pay when NOT A SINGLE one in these places are competent enough to simply follow basic inatructions and these mfs want more money and better conditions smh.. how about NOT working at fast food places as a career, because they are meant for kids starting to get into the work force.. reality these people didn’t care to better their education in anyway and it shows when asking them to complete an order..

    Dont reply saying if they have better pay and better work environment they’ll do better.. That’s a d@mn lie!. They got higher pay and a still going up yet my orders are still fucked up..

    • You’re a 100% correct these kids these days have no clue I have never been to any McDonald’s in my order has never been right How hard is it to put extra ice in the cup when you ask for it Is too busy chit chatting or being on the phone

    • I use to work there and I regret it because how wack it was but that honestly jusy happens because theres always customers changing there order as in adding or taking things out or adding onto there order like more food or less food and McDonald’s downs there best to make everything right so that’s literally what there doing and then we would get people trying to lie about food they ordered but didn’t order and then trying to get free food when they food literally just came out so while we’re dealing with that aka “kissing there ass because for some reason customers are always right “ your foods getting cold because this person is holding up the line or doesn’t want to move because we’re not giving them free food to move the line so that’s what the workers have to deal with so hopefully you don’t have any family members or friends that go through that my friend I never understood what they went through until I worked there so I get it

  5. Why are you comparing a riot to a peaceful protest in demand of better working conditions, make it make sense. The people on January 6th were just crying because they didn’t get their way these workers are advocating for a positive change in their workplace so sorry people found the bitching and complaining on January 6th distasteful.

    • Im not comparing anything, I am questioning if a “demonstration permit” was issued. Also jan 6th was not a riot like the blm has done in EVERY “PROTEST the blm has incited. January 6th was a RALLY and then a blm member incited the capital takeover. The January 6 criminals are being dealt with, which is NOT the case in the blm riots. And i agree you are very sorry…the sorriest excuse for a human. I bet you were one of the crying bitches when killary lost her ass in 2016. January 6th was the attempt to stop the election from being stolen.

    • Jerry, You’re an idiot. Just cut to the chase… loot, then burn the place down in the name of “peaceful protest”.

      There’s no hope in Palmdale, just dopes.

  6. I have read many articles on McDonald’s. They do neglect taking care of machines and put worker’s in jeopardy. I will be keeping the worker’s in my prayers. I am glad you filed a complaint with Osha. I am a retired Paralegal. I hope you have a good law firm, one that specializes in these kind of cases.

  7. I ate here over the holidays and I ordered 4 mcribbs, a short blonde (assistant) manager handed my order to me, I asked if there were NO ONIONS on the mcribbs and she told me “no, I checked it myself”. Well I opened one up in front of her and there were ONIONS…same with the other 3. I specifically told the cashier “I am highly allergic to ONIONS, I told the short blonde lady “I am highly allergic to ONIONS” and I still received ONIONS on all of my mcribbs. Blonde lady looked at me like I was asking her to give me it all for free or something. It is BOTH the workers AND management that makes the fast food experience crap. When I arrived home the entire order was crap…I called and spoke with (jorge) he replaced my entire meal the next day and IT WAS ALL F@#$%D up also. I didn’t complain again and just said to hell with mcdonalds, taco bell, dominoes, and all other fast food restaurants and I cook for myself to make sure my food is prepared correctly and not filled with a food product that will send me into anaphylactic shock and possibly end my life. Mrs. Short blonde lady needs to be fired for her LIE AND IGNORANCE.

    • You think they are going to fire Ms. Blondy just because u say so? N a she will be there for a while

    • That’s what I’m talking about…just shut um down by not wasting your money on billion dollar corp with a nonexistent customer service !!!

  9. lol, the amount of managers here completely defending/avoiding putting any kind of blame on the managers at that McDonald’s in my hometown is actually hilarious! Trust me, my little bro worked at this location, and there’s a reason he f****ng quit. When they were short staffed, they expected him to multiply, and do waaaay more than he was being paid for. Once more employees started leaving, then came the phone calls, the “hey, are you looking to work here again?” Yeah no, definitely not the employee when the crap manager is calling your phone. But yeah, go ahead, and defend this [removed] company. I’m sure they’re paying you to clean the grease off their boots when they visit your location.

    • I thought the Navy were better at cleaning grease off of anything within arms reach but I digress. Too bad life doesn’t reward you whenever you want otherwise everybody would have greasy hands while putting on a dramatical show of hard work. Too bad your brother couldn’t stick it out a bit longer but if he has managed to find a better job or career that rewards sooner than more power to him. As for this place, somebody else is always hungrier enough to multitasks and perfect their employee abilities for a better future.

  10. There was a time when this job was a stepping stone for those that were studying in college for good careers. I think they still offer scholarships to those go-getters that would have thought about ordering new ventilating fans for the fryers while on break, or calling the corporation leaders directly to resolve the air conditioning issues (considering it’s a franchise that needs to be up to par for obvious legal reasons). But nowadays, this job is being treated like a career from those that aren’t going to school or waiting to be enlisted into an armed force. They think that the puck stops there and they demand benefits and wage increases when the McRib isn’t getting any ribbier…(?) The Big Mac isn’t getting any bigger… The Quarter Pounders aren’t getting any heavier.

  11. Did the working conditions cause you to not put napkins and ketchup in the bags? Did the conditions cause you to put onions on the four cheeseburgers ordered without onions? May want to try practicing what you preach because as I see it there often isn’t much effort by the employees to do their job the best they can. I feel bad for the managers that have to deal with the employees giving at best half of their focus to the job they are paid to do.

    • lol. I found the manager xD
      This does go both ways. I’ve seen the degradation of a workplace, leading to disgruntled employees. If you aren’t being treated fairly, you’re not going to be the fantastic employee you think they should be. It’s not about cracking the whip, it’s about being the leader pulling the cart. I’ve been to this McDonald’s, and I’ve worked AT McDonald’s in the past when I was younger. Definitely felt unwanted, and we were treated like s**t. But yeah, pass the blame to the employees Karen.

  12. Instead of criticizing and trying to find excuses for not wanting to work, the only thing left is to speak ill of the restaurant and the employees just because they do not want to be sent if they want to be bosses, study and if not work as they should because they are paying a salary and when you go to work work and not just go to spend your time sitting stupid and so that they do not attract your attention, work as it should be because if you do not want to be attracted to a restaurant compressor and nobody will tell you what they have to do

  13. I used to work at this location and the management was horrible, they really don’t care about their employees no matter how understaffed they were the store manger (Jorge) expected us to work twice as hard and he would give us our breaks two hours into our shifts, expect to work nonstop and most times overtime after. All he cared about was profit no matter the conditions in the store.

    • I highly doubt the manager of a fast food restaurant was concerned about profits, more like worried about losing his job. Probably under way more pressure than the average worker and not paid much more for having to deal with the everyday whining and laziness of employees

      • THE IMPORTANT TO REPRESENT YOUR COMPLAINT CASE WITH THE LABOR BEAURAL, FEDERAL RESERVE FTC DOCUMENT A CODE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN FRATRUCTURE EMPLOYEES HEALTH, KITCHEN APPLIANCES HAZARD NOT SAFETY PROTECTION INSPECTION COMPLAINT. THE GOVERMENT FEDERAL BUSINESES WILL REPRESENT YOU WITH YOUR TEAMSTER UNION AGENTS REPSRESENATIVES, HEALTH INSPECTERS.

        DRECILLA BRIGHTWOOD.

  14. This restaurant is not run by the family that owns the majority of the McD’s restaurants in the Antelope Valley. It’s a smaller organization based out of Los Angeles that runs this restaurant. It’s very unfortunate for all. Hopefully this gets resolved.

  15. The people who do not want to work are the ones who complain, there are many people who would like to have a job like the one they have and those who have it do not want to work and they begin to make protests and bad comments to make a profit and want to harm the restaurant now. the workers who want to work in beldad .. get to work not to want to get to work to deny everything if they send you to take out garbage in a good way because that is why they are paying you and do not look for a benefit in exchange for that Rosa Garcia and others persons

    • Edwin – People are speaking out because they are burnout. They are being used and abused in this industry. The workers who are protesting are the ones that show up to work and are being taken for granted. The assistant store manager DelCarmen needs to learn to respect such employees and not take them for less.

    • Edwin – People are speaking out because they are burnout of being used and abused in this industry. The workers who are protesting are the ones that show up to work and are being taken for granted. The assistant store manager DelCarmen needs to learn to respect such employees and not take them for less

    • I am a frequent customer, and I have seen that people yell at him, look at them yelling at an elderly woman, and their food lately tastes like very burnt oil, as a customer, I would like them to investigate them, and I do not work in mcdonals,

    • Edwin. I don’t think you understand the difference between haed work and abuse. I for one would not work for these establishments because they expect the wod from you with little in return. Perhaps you grew up in a different era that hard paid off, but that is no longer the case when certain companies that advantage you their employees and abuse their good nature and not provide LIVABLE WAGES AND SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS.

      That’s part of reasons these why people “make protest”, Edwin.
      They are tired of being mistreated and its good that people are finally standing up and voicing out their concerns. I’m sure you’ll be bothered of you were put in their place, Edwin.

      Don’t assume that someone voicing out their concerns don’t want to work. You can read plenty of previous strikes that happened in the past. An example would be the HeavenHill distillery strike that happened last year. Look that up and you’ll understand the reason why people go on strike/protest

      • THEY DONT GET PAID ENOUGH????????????????? I WAS PAID $4.25 an hour when I worked for MCDONALD’S in high school. These poor overworked and abused crybabies are being paid $15.00 an hour…how are they UNDERPAID????

  16. I work from McDonald’s but all the person there is no employees I am a custumer that goes to that restaurant every day and i know how hard she works and the employees as well i don’t know why People are saying they are bad workers

  18. Then they ask why there’s a shortage of workers or why all these workers are quitting their jobs. I’m glad my daughter didn’t accept the job there. It’s a damn shame that they prioritize profit over everything else. Hopefully they’ll come to their senses and get everything squared away but until then I’ll taking my business elsewhere and I hope others will too.

  19. I quit and found another job because after complaints and complaints of physical and verbal abuse to the workers about the assistant manager, DELCARMEN GLADIS nothing was ever done. The store owners and general manager would always try to cover her up. While I was 8 months pregnant taking orders and money in the back of the store I would grab a chair once in a while to rest the weight of the baby and she would argue with me I wasn’t allowed to sit. The precautions that are not taking in the store are horrible but the head people in the store are even worse. It’s been a little over a year and it’s sad to see nothing has been done yet.

    • I think that if someone is unable to perform at work due to pregnancy you are supposed to be on maternity leave and not expecting customers to wait while you sit down.

      • Great job to the workers for organizing! Don’t give up and stay strong! We’re rooting for you!

  20. Then quit! This is a Free Country!!! Go find another job! Trust me there are plenty out there right now! Unless your trying to extort people? Because if that’s what your doing, then this article makes sense.

    • Ain’t nothin’ in this country free. Why in the heck would you say the working people should have to go through the hassle of finding new jobs while the rich pricks that own that store roll about on the fat of their efforts? If they don’t want to maintain the goose that is laying them nothing but golden eggs how about instead of “screw those workers, they can quit” we say “screw those silver spooners, take their store”?

      • If you took the store who would run it? You gonna create the schedules for the workers shifts, handle customer complaints, order supplies, clean the store, answer to ownership, be the first one to work or the last one to go home, gather and correct time sheets, schedule breaks and lunch for everyone, work all holidays, be responsible for cash drawers and deposits? Or maybe working a cash register and taking food orders doesn’t seem so bad in comparison now does it

      • “…we say “screw those silver spooners, take their store”

        I’m confused, Tim. How, exactly, would that work? Please elucidate.

        • No good answer Stinger.

          In our society as constructed it wouldn’t work…directly. Franchising as designed is a “help the rich get richer” program and should never have been allowed off the ground. For all you people claiming to support capitalism, franchising is a very powerful force pushing towards monopolization, the scourge of capitalism, but the rich people want to get richer and the rest of the people are generally so ignorant of economics that they will believe black is white and repeat it.

          Anti-trust legislation is the only real recourse, but there is zero political will to drive that. There hasn’t been any sort of expansion of anti-trust law since…the fifties? Thereabouts anyway.

    • So they quit but then the next set of workers have to deal with this. Make it make sense Karen!

      • That’s the way it works Jiz. And to call someone a Karen while complaining is Karenx10. People are demanding higher pay but don’t think that they should have to step up their game to earn it.

    • Your comment is very ignorant not everyone has the economic stability to quit their job, and extortion how so? Their just exercising their first amendment which may I remind you gives them the freedom of speech and protest so how is that considered extortion. I personally know someone who works there and the working condition are horrible im glad this has been brought to light not only for the current workers but for the future ones too. Please think twice before making insensitive comments like these have some empathy.

      • Funny what they are doing is “their first amendment right”, but January 6, 2021 was unlawful (prior to the idiots that broke into the capitol building) assembly. I wonder, did these overworked and abused people have a permit for the protest, like on January 6, 2021??? HMMMMMMM??

    • If everybody quits and no one reports the store then who would hold the restaurant accountable .

    • How about you go to hawaii tomorrow. Doesnt matter if you work, Its a free country isnt it?

  21. The same family owns the McDonald’s in Rosamond, it’s the same thing. The AC unit has been broken there for years and the workers are still expected to work when it’s triple digits outside.

      • You all understand this is McDonald’s right? This is an entry level job position. They hardly get their orders right and expect to be paid more. Don’t like the job? Go look somewhere else, they are hiring all over the place anyways.

    • I remember when the general manager worked for Ave
      Kand would mistreat us, force us to take our breaks all
      at once. I would get yelled at also not even an hour into
      my shift I would take my break and my lunch because
      we would be under staff only a few crew members
      would be going above and beyond working multiple
      positions all at once working with the GM I forgot his
      name I think his name was gorge he isn’t polite at all
      makes it seems that he is but in all reality working with
      him was a nightmare idk why he’s still working there

      • Angel- with all due respect thanks for your insight; however, may I suggest taking an English composition course in order to better your writing? Just a suggestion bro lol

        • That’s crazy how you focus on someone’s grammar instead of the point that he is trying to make. That the GM is trash for the way he treats his employees, and considering he’s breaking a couple of laws in giving workers all there breaks at once instead of every second hour how it should be. Please, mind your business next time so you won’t look uneducated.

          • Beatrice STFU! Why don’t you mind your own business? Angels comment is utter nonsense – it literally gave me a headache reading it! It seems you know Angel personally? Smh…

      • How could everyone take break at the same time? Didn’t think that through very well did ya

      • The perfect solution… Just close the McDonald’s down clearly no one’s happy. The workers are pissed the management is pissed the customers are pissed. The working condition sucks the location has a bad reputation the machines are old and broken the food sucks… Mc Donald’s just sucks over all so let’s do everyone a favor and do the smart thing and close it down… We can all build a giant statue of a clown right on that lot as a memorial of bad burger business so no one will ever suffer again from the bad business practices. The world would be such a better place.