Working for McDonalds in Europe

Working for McDonald's in Europe

The unequal struggle

Tony Royle, Routledge, 248 pages, hardback £60.00, paperback £18.99

The research for this book, carried out over six years, ensures that it is a really thorough study of the way in which McDonald's operates in Europe.

It begins with the corporation's origins and later development.

After examining the system of franchising, it describes how it is able to manage the employment relationship in a remarkably similar way in all the European countries, despite the differences in trade union laws.

Trade unions find it extremely difficult to recruit and retain members and, in every case, trade union density is lower than that for the country as a whole.

An analysis of the European works council directive shows that, as it currently operates, it cannot represent the interests of McDonald's workers and is often little more than a talking shop for a management-inspired agenda.

An indispensable book for trade unionists wanting to tackle McDonald's.