Trade unionists and campaigners are returning to McDonald’s Head Office in East Finchley on Tuesday 6th October, joining forces with the End Not Defend campaign to demand that sexual harassment at work is treated as a health and safety hazard, not just an individual grievance.

McStrike first brought McDonald’s workers together to challenge low pay and insecure work, putting conditions in the fast-food industry on the national agenda. It showed that workers considered ‘hard to organise’ could build real collective power.

This time, the message is about safety at work. No one should have to put up with sexual harassment to earn a living.

Sexual harassment is too often dealt with only after the fact: a worker reports an incident, HR investigates, and a decision is made. By that point, the harm has already happened. End Not Defend argues that employers should instead identify and assess the risk of sexual harassment before it occurs, in the same way they are required to for other workplace hazards.

This isn’t a hypothetical. In 2023, McDonald’s Restaurants Limited entered into a legally binding agreement with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) after concerns were raised about how sexual harassment complaints were being handled. That agreement was strengthened in 2025 following further allegations, and the EHRC has written to McDonald’s franchisees reminding them of their legal duties, including carrying out regular risk assessments.

Under the current system, the burden often falls on the worker who has experienced harm. They have to report it, provide evidence, go through an investigation, and sometimes take legal action, all while continuing to work in the same environment. End Not Defend wants to shift that responsibility onto employers: identifying risks in advance, providing safe and trusted reporting routes, and ensuring regulators have the powers and information they need to act.

Organisers say the lesson from McStrike still applies. Harassment is harder to challenge when workers feel isolated or worried about losing hours if they speak out. Organising collectively changes that balance of power.

Event details:

Tuesday 6th October, 6pm, McDonald’s Head Office, East Finchley

#McStrike is back. End Not Defend.