Moreland city councillor Sue Bolton has added her support to Retail and Fast Food Workers Union鈥檚 (RAFFWU) calls for WorkSafe to investigate a McDonald鈥檚 fast food outlet in Fawkner, which did not shut down after a worker tested positive for COVID-19 on May 5.
On May 18, across Melbourne鈥檚 north and west had been closed, and almost 1000 workers asked to self-isolate after a delivery driver tested positive.
鈥淭he McCluster from Fawkner has spread to Craigieburn and has now hit 12 other outlets鈥, RAFFWU said. 鈥淥ver 1000 workers have been stood down without pay. Many outlets remain without any hand sanitiser and all others have ineffective hand rub.鈥
鈥淲orksafe and Safework authorities must intervene and McDonald鈥檚 must pay all its workers 鈥 including casual workers 鈥 who it has put at risk,鈥 RAFFWU said.
Bolton said that McDonald鈥檚 should be liable for putting precarious workers at risk because it has not provided a safe workplace.
鈥淏ecause McDonald鈥檚 decided not to shut its Fawkner restaurant for a deep clean after the first worker tested positive, it put the safety of workers and the general public at risk鈥, Bolton said.
The store closed, temporarily, for a deep clean only after the second worker tested positive. There are now 12 positive cases linked to the store.
Fawkner McDonald鈥檚 is located just outside Moreland city council鈥檚 north-east ward where Bolton is a socialist councillor. Some of the fast food workers live in Bolton's ward.
McDonald鈥檚 has now re-opened the drive-through part of the restaurant, Bolton said.
鈥淭he company has said that it is safe for workers to return, but that they cannot work at other stores.
鈥淏ut the question remains: is it safe or not for the workers and the public,鈥 Bolton said. 鈥淭he company can鈥檛 have it both ways. If it鈥檚 not safe for these workers to work at other stores, it is not safe for them to work at the Fawkner store.鈥
WorkSafe said it is still determining whether a full investigation into McDonald鈥檚 actions is needed.
McDonald鈥檚 says that it has closed the stores 鈥渙ut of an abundance of caution鈥, and is deep cleaning 12 outlets.
Bolton said that there should be a WorkSafe investigation because otherwise employers are opening up their businesses as if it was a return to 鈥渘ormal鈥.
鈥淭here can be no such 鈥榮nap back鈥 because health authorities have advised that the virus is now out in the community. Unscrupulous employers are using casual workers鈥 and others financial desperation as an excuse to get them working, but in unsafe conditions.鈥
Cedar Meats, Hutchison Ports Australia and Qantas are all risking workers鈥 health by not immediately notifying workers of a positive diagnosis in the workplace, and not acting quickly enough to implement safe health practices in the workplace, Bolton said.