WASHINGTON – The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) found that 89 of 291 cases filed against McDonald's and the company's franchisees since November 2012 have merit. The charges stem from an NLRB investigation into claims that McDonald's and the chain's franchisees violated the rights of employees during pro-labor rallies for higher wages for fast-food workers. Some workers who joined in the rallies said they were illegally fired, punished or threatened for participating in the protests.

“While representatives of the Office of the General Counsel have been engaged in efforts to settle the matter with the parties, thus far, those efforts have largely been unsuccessful,” the NLRB said in a statement. “Therefore, the Regional Offices, where meritorious charges were filed and not settled, issued complaints against the alleged joint employers today.”


The agency also noted that of the 291 charges filed, 11 cases were resolved and 71 cases remain under investigation.

NLRB said that 13 complaints involving 78 charges were issued in:

• Region 2 - Manhattan
• Region 4 - Philadelphia
• Region 7 - Detroit
• Region 10 - Atlanta
• Region 13 - Chicago
• Region 14 – St. Louis
• Sub-region 17 – Kansas City
• Region 15 – New Orleans
• Region 18 - Minneapolis
• Region 20 – San Francisco
• Region 25 - Indianapolis
• Region 28 - Phoenix
• Region 31 – Los Angeles

“Meritorious allegations of unlawful conduct committed by McDonald’s franchisees and/or their franchisor, McDonald’s USA, LLC, occurring in more than one, and often multiple, locations around the country include: discriminatory discipline, reductions in hours, discharges, and other coercive conduct directed at employees in response to union and protected concerted activity, including threats, surveillance, interrogations, promises of benefit, and overbroad restrictions on communicating with union representatives or with other employees about unions and the employees’ terms and conditions of employment,” NLRB said.