Fast food giant McDonald's has been reported to a watchdog by a group of trade unions which have accused bosses of failing to tackle sexual harassment against young members of staff across its UK restaurants.

Five trade unions are claiming McDonald's has violated international labour standards and say junior workers, 'most of them teenagers', have been subjected to 'repeated episodes' of harassment.

Unions including the Bakers Union and the TUC first lodged the complaint in February 2024, following reports of widespread discrimination, harassment and sexual abuse at the chain.

McDonald's was reported to the UK's National Contact Point (NCP), an independent unit within the Department for Business and Trade which handles complaints under the OECD guidelines for multinational companies.

Now the NCP has ruled the grievance warrants further consideration.

The unions allege that there has been 'further evidence of persistent, deeply rooted gender-based discrimination' in McDonald's restaurants, which disproportionately affects teenagers and young people.

They say issues have been ongoing since at least 2019 and pointed to a BBC investigation which revealed a 'toxic' work environment in which staff reported being subject to bullying, racism, sexual harassment and assault and homophobia.

The decision to take the complaint further is not a finding against McDonald's, and the NCP will now offer mediation to all parties. 

Five trade unions are claiming McDonald's has violated international labour standards and say junior workers, 'most of them teenagers', have been subjected to 'repeated episodes' of harassment 

The mediation process is voluntary and, according to the NCP, if either side refuses, it will re-examine the initial complaint. 

Ilana Cole, 18, was one of hundreds of staff members to speak out after being hired at the chain when she was 16. She was later transferred to a different branch and, upon starting her new role underwent an interview with a manager.

'He started telling me about the differences between this branch and my last branch and said 'Here we're a lot busier, it's like you're getting raped up the a** everyday',' she told the Mail.

She alleged that she was 'groped' by a manager and saw other young women also sexually harassed, and said she witnessed managers discriminating against staff with disabilities.

She described one manager who she said 'would get really close behind the younger girls almost pressed right against their back, constantly getting close to the girls and deliberately brushing his hand against their waist or bum, which he did to me too.'

Other employees to allege harassment included a woman from the Midlands who, at 17, said she had been asked for sex in exchange for extra shifts by a manager.

And staff as young as 16 reported being bullied and yelled at, with a 20-year-old woman telling how a manager sent her topless pictures.