McDonald's Labor Practices More Harmful Than Its Food | Video | AlterNet

"It seems that McDonald's labor practices are more harmful than the food it serves. The fast-food chain employs over 600,000 people in our country -- many of whom make less than $10 an hour -- and yet the company is thriving during this recession; CEO James Skinner made over $13 million last year alone. So why can't McDonald's afford to allow workers to unionize?

Perhaps the most feeble excuse comes from lobbyist slimeball Rick Berman, who said the Employee Free Choice Act 'is a huge threat to fast food and has the ability to impact the long-term health of the industry.' Berman should know better than to associate the words 'fast food' and 'health,' just as McDonald's corporate should know better than to pick a fight on an issue that President-elect Obama has made a legislative priority for 2009."

I don't favor unions in most situations, but let's look a moment at McDonald's and Wal-mart: They are both gigantic, multi-location businesses, employing thousands of people at below-average wages. most of them without benefits. Why are they afraid of unions? Because unions would force them to adjust their sub-standard wage and benefit structures, a key piece of their "profit puzzle." Wal-mart just lost an anti-union suit in the Canadian Supreme Court, so I hope the EFCA and Obama can also pave a new path to better wages and working conditions for thousands of people.