Vegan news portal

USA - At McDonald's Shareholders AGM in Chicago on 17th May, activists with shares grilled members of the Corporation's Board of Directors about the exploitation of store workers, about the exploitation of workers in China to produce 'happy meal' toys for the junk food chain, about the genetic engineering of some foods used in McDonald's products, about animal suffering and about the growing protests against their stores around the world (about which McDonald's Chief Executive, Jack Greenberg replied: that the protests 'are very much on our minds. ... I take these issues seriously. ... We are a convenient target.')


GERMANY - In Munich, Germany, on the 1st May about 60 activists broke away from a Mayday Rally and occupied the biggest McDonalds in Europe, unfurling banners saying 'McExploitation', 'McDeforestation', 'McWorkingclassenemy', 'WorldWideResistance' and 'People before profit'.

PHILLIPINES - In Davao City, on March 10th McDonald's store at Bahada was picketted. A participant reported: 'The people in Davao City was cultured shock, many of them were interested and kept on asking questions that was confusing. We also brought placards saying "NO TO GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOOD", "STOP MAKING FRANKENSTIEN FOOD", "McCRUELTY", McEXPLIOTATION, "PEOPLE NOT PROFIT".'

ISRAEL - In Tel Aviv, May 1st 2001 - May Day was celebrated by Israel by a wide coalition of movements for social justice, environmental responsibility, human rights and animal rights. Actions included vigils in front of banks and financial institutions - but also in front of McDonald's and Burger-King. Animal rights activists later put the heads of slaughtered cows in front of a McDonald's store. 5 people were arrested, protesters blocked the traffic demanding their release, and violent police attacks lead to clashes into the early evening and 5 further arrests. Despite this the sit-in in the road continued until police finally agreed to release all 10 protestors.

McDonald's workers organise and fight back

In Wiesbaden, McDonald's workers have been getting organised. A spokesperson working there explains the situation in February this year (to the paper 'junge Welt'):

Antonio Bareiro: We have built up a good labour organisation here in the Wiesbaden branch office in Mainz street within three years. Almost 80 per cent of the about 70 people, who have worked in the branch office which closed on the 31st December 2000, were organised. This is the point why this branch office got shut down. McDonald said that this branch office is 'ungovernable'. The shut-down had nothing to do with the economic situation, in fact the opposite case. After the numbers, which I have seen, our branch office had a constant sales volume. A thorn in the eye was our organisation and the good cooperation of the different works committees in the area.

NGG labour union secretary JØrgen Hinzer: When we began three years ago to start elections for spokesmen on behalf of the workers, McDonalds tried with all force to prevent these. After that, there was a council nevertheless, than they applied considerable pressure. McDonalds has never put up with having a staff here who looked after their labour rights. When McDonalds didn't make headway with the pressure and sackings, they simply closed this branch office. However, the employees refused to be intimidated.

The courage of this staff is enormous, with colleagues from Latin America, from Africa and Asia. We have demonstrated again and again together. The highlight, up to now, was, that we carried out a declaration in front of the head office in Munich - that hasn't taken place before in the history of McDonalds Germany. We will fight on legal track and apply more pressure politically, too.

Bareiro: We try mainly to sensitise the public and draw attention to the fact how they have treated us there.At the court, specialised in work issues, in Wiesbaden, we have obtained an interim order against the sackings. We will fight for our rights further and try everything.

Hinzer: There is a wide range of people in town, that supports our request. We got an invitation of the French labour union CGT to take part in a demonstration on February 24th in Paris where there is a demonstration because of McDonalds- the first strike at McDonalds in Paris.

Vegetarian Uproar vs McDonald's in USA and India McDonald's admits it has lied to the public for 10 years over beef flavouring in it's fries

On May 24th 2001 faced with a multi-million dollar law suit in the USA brought by concerned vegetarians, McDonald's finally admitted, that it has lied to the public for the last 10 years. In 1990 McDonald's had announced that it would no longer use beef tallow for cooking its fries, making them acceptable to vegetarians. However, the company has now conceded that since that time its US fries have had beef extract flavouring added at the processing stage, before later being cooked in their stores.

Earlier in May, in Bombay, India, a Hindu group vandalized a McDonald's restaurant in protest against the use of beef flavoring in the chain's US French fries. Most of India's Hindus - 85 percent of the population - are vegetarians. Restaurant customers fled, as members of the Bajrang Dal charged into the restaurant in Thane, a northeastern Bombay suburb, and smashed furniture and ceiling lights. In a southern suburb other protestors shouted slogans and smeared cow dung on the restaurant's mascot.

In solidarity,

McLibel Support Campaign

14th June 2001