Canton, OH, McDonald's franchise tells employees to vote Republican if they want raises and bonuses

[BurtWorm]

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/10/29/ohio-mcdonalds-republican/



In explicitly endorsing gubernatorial candidate John Kasich (R), Senate candidate Rob Portman (R), and House candidate Jim Renacci (R), the pamphlet — which was directly inside the envelope with the paycheck — appears to directly violate Ohio Revised Code regarding elections:

No employer or his agent or a corporation shall print or authorize to be printed upon any pay envelopes any statements intended or calculated to influence the political action of his or its employees; or post or exhibit in the establishment or anywhere in or about the establishment any posters, placards, or hand bills containing any threat, notice, or information that if any particular candidate is elected or defeated work in the establishment will cease in whole or in part, or other threats expressed or implied, intended to influence the political opinions or votes of his or its employees.

“This is an outrageous attack on one of the most fundamental rights our citizens enjoy – the right to vote for the candidate of his/her choice without economic fear or threat,” states attorney Allen Schulman who is investigating the matter. “It is particularly egregious that in this time of harsh economic conditions, a corporation would stoop to this level of voter intimidation.”

Not to mention that Kasich, Portman, and Renacci all oppose the health care reform law, a law that ensures employees like those at McDonald’s can afford health coverage and provides companies like McDonald’s with “significant flexibility to maintain coverage for workers.” And should these three adopt the Republican view of the minimum wage, the only happy face at the this McDonald’s will be the employer’s.

[gratuitous]

1. Since it's a secret ballot

Employees should feel free to vote for whomever they want to vote for, and then tell their manager that they voted Republican, just like they were told. Now, where are those raises and bonuses?

But, yeah, illegal as hell. I hope someone gets massively fined for this.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

33. They don't say they'll give the raises if the employees "vote right".

They say they'll give the raises if Republicans get elected.

[NNN0LHI]

2. I never had an employer try this crap

[KansDem]

3. McD's: Crappy food; crappy politics.

Gives new meaning to the phrase "Kroc of shit."

[SargeUNN]

4. Hmm, wonder what McDonald's corp. offices say

This person should be fired at the least. The real problem here is that it is getting more and more common just like Mussolini got the church to spread his propaganda during the rise of power. There is the real concern, that such is going on and when it isn't dealt with immediately by the corporations then the cancer grows more serious.

[AC_Mem]

5. Ask McDonald's Corporate about this

http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/contact_us/other_topics/other_topics.html

[blue sky at night]

12. I looked at the link...

and opened the contact us window...wow, they want way too much information, not sure I want to give it to them.

[cynzke]

27. Thanks!

For the link. Sent them and email asking for an investigation and a response. Suggested that if they encouraged and condone this, McDonalds should expect the same reaction Target Corporation received. BOYCOTT!

[AC_Mem]

32. I told them in the form that

I was boycotting and spreading the word.

[Democrats_win]

6. What percentage of a McD's hamburger is shit? 90%? 100%?

That's why they can sell them for 89 cents.

[bullwinkle428]

11. I think it's been over 10 years since a McDonald's burger has

passed my lips! My body's been thanking me ever since.

[AC_Mem]

15. I intend to boycott McDonald's

Neither myself or my family will purchase another thing from them.

I'm DONE with this kind of crap. They will not get another penny from my family.

Annette

[blue sky at night]

7. hey du...what is the best way to respond to this?

I found this link:

http://www.google.com/search?q=McDonalds%2BCanton,+OH.&hl=en&client=opera&hs=3Wt&rls=en&prmd=mcn&source=univ&tbs=plcs:1&tbo=u&ei=vATLTPWLCpTjnQeT6tTbDw&sa=X&oi=local_group&ct=more-results&resnum=2&ved=0CDIQtQMwAQ

I feel like calling them and telling them (many stores in the Canton area) I will never eat at a McDonald's again because of their stupid and illegal try at influencing their employees to vote for the dark-side, but then again they will most likely hang up on me. I live in the Akron-Canton area.

[BurtWorm]

10. Picketing might even be called for.

[blue sky at night]

14. the problem is we need to know which store is the guilty party...

maybe the local paper is picking up on this...worth a look.

[BurtWorm]

18. You could picket any one of them until the manager comes out to tell you who the real culprit is.

Notice my correct use of the pronoun. :patriot:

[blue sky at night]

21. i too like proper english...

and don't mind if someone calls me on something i phrased wrong or mis-spelled.

[jberryhill]

13. By pointing out it should be "whom" not "who", as in "for whom you vote"

That would cover about 99% of DU.

[gateley]

35. Call a local news station -- call them all. Have them "investigate". In Seattle,

employers and companies run people around in circles, then the "Get Jesse" from one of the local stations and he shows up on their doorstep with a camera crew. They almost always get an apology for the "mistake" and things are made right for the person.

AND/OR -- contact the elections board and the Dem party - if this is illegal, a lawsuit should be put in motion.

[cynzke]

8. Strongly Suggest!

We notify McDonalds and voice our opinion. Boycott should be mentioned. Ohio State Attorney should be notified as well. McDonalds should be prosecuted and fined. Boycotts work. Decades ago, Proctor & Gamble had a small logo they would put on their products that they had used since the turn of the century (1900). It was a gold circle with a crescent man in the moon face and some stars. A christian wacko group complained that P&G was promoting witchcraft. The wacko group threatened a boycott and P&G stopped using their logo. Boycotts are very effective.

[Cognitive_Resonance]

9. Needs to be brought to attention of the parent company. Looks like the action of a franchisee.

A company like McDonald's would not sanction this kind of endorsement. Could even be a rogue manager, who will likely be looking for new employment by Monday.

[Vinca]

16. I thought McDonald's already got an exemption on health care so

they could continue offering their crappy policies that cover just about nothing. Boycott them . . . you'll be healthier for it.

[Initech]

17. Absolutely disgusting.

[OHdem10]

19. Businesses have been doing some version of this for years.

I have never heard of tying it to salary.

For example, it has been observed that L. Wexner, Limited, Vic,Secret
lets employees now it advantages the Business to have Republicans
in office. Implied, of course, if the Business is advantaged,
it should be to your advantage.

Historically Broadcasing Industry is advantaged by Republicans.
This message gets out.

In the 90s the Business Groups met and it was shown on C-Span
Businesses feiguing out ways to influence their employeees vote.
Especially Small Businesses. I remember a Restuarant Owner
saying he made it clear to his employees that Republicans are
better for Business.

[blue sky at night]

20. i read down the posts on the Think Progress and found a very good idea:

poster bluestocking wrote at the end of their post:


I suggest that people call the McDonald's customer service hotline at 800-244-6227 (open between 7AM and 7PM CST) to complain about this incident and tell them that if this policy is tolerated, they will never see one red cent from any of us ever again. (Actually, in the long run, that can probably only be to our benefit...although I have to admit that their chocolate chip cookies taste closest to the homemade kind than any other commercial variety I have ever tasted.) Potential loss of revenue is, after all, perhaps the strongest motivating factor there is anywhere in the consumer product industry. It's possible, of course, that McDonald's will brush it off on the grounds that they're too popular and too profitable for this to make much of a difference to them. If nothng else, however, I for one am interested to hear what they have to say...and even though I know I can't change the world, I know that at least for now I have the power to choose whether or not to contribute to (and passively collaborate with) any company where such gross injustice is tolerated.

[deminks]

22. Does McD's get any tax breaks? Repeal them.

If they are like most corporations, they don't pay any taxes.

[SargeUNN]

23. I called McDonalds and here is what I got

The person stated they didn't know of this situation and agreed it was outrageous. She asked what city and state and my contact info with the assurance that an investigation would result since this is against company policies. I hope this will happen and this jerk gets fired at the very least.

[Posteritatis]

36. Good! (nt)

[PeaceNikki]

38. That jerk is a franchisee. He can't get "fired" but he can potentially lose his business.

I doubt McDonalds would take such drastic measures, but I do hope that they take the matter seriously.

[LeftinOH]

24. This is surely the work of a local manager or franchisee- who is probably going to get in trouble

..hopefully very soon.

[Rebubula]

25. As Long as...

...they bring back the McRib as promised (November 2nd Nationwide) - I will forgive them this transgression.


Heck...I tell my employees that Democrats vote on Tuesday and republicans vote on Wednesday to reduce problems with overcrowding at the polls...

No one ever believes me, of course and they should not.

[rfranklin]

26. McRib is ground up bone scrapings of pork....probably...

treated with ammonia just like their "burgers."

[life_long_dem]

29. Ammonia makes the "burgers" less greasy, so they are healthier! Yummy.

[DiverDave]

31. Really?

So if I drink some ammonia...

I don't need the sarcasm thingy, do I?

[PA Democrat]

28. How many raises and bonuses did they get when the Republicans had control of the House and Senate?

They need to throw some of these pigs in jail. A small fine doesn't cut it.

[Touchdown]

30. A few officers in the Army tried to pull that crap on us.

I voted for Mondale out of spite.:P

[HughBeaumont]

34. Um, the better poor people DO, the better YOUR business does.

And Bushmen/Wall Street Laissez-failures Kasich the Fascist and Portman are beholden to the Shareholder upper echelon fucko class.

Why the hell aren't there any suit-and-tie fascists swinging in gibbets by now? Are we THIS beaten down?

[Posteritatis]

37. Maybe he's worried that the poor will graduate to being able to afford food. (nt)

[barbtries]

39. will they be prosecuted?

it's a criminal act right? jeez.

and such bullshit to boot. vote for the people who will keep me filthy rich and you dirt poor. that sucks.

[Divine Discontent]

40. I worked there like many. The pay was about the lowest of my life, the job was about the most

dirty and least respected and appreciated of all my jobs. I was a teen, and I thought, clearly this franchise owner makes enough to give us more than 3.80 an hour (a few pennies above minimum) for having just 5 or 6 of us here bringing in hundreds and hundreds every hour when our pay maybe total $35 an hour (including the managers). Like they care about giving raises - I was told I was one of the top employees they had, not the best though, and so I only got a nickel raise instead of a dime!

They're nothing but abusers who take advantage of the capitalist society that our country has turned into that permits such little pay for front line workers, while the managers driving around to check on the store's make $75,000 or more while workers make $15K.

[Blue Owl]

41. What the McFuck?

Didn't they get the message in 2008 when the McCain was rejected?