McDonald's says employee violated internal policy by posting on public platforms
A part-time employee of McDonald's Hong Kong who called for the reinstatement of meal-time pay has been fired from the fast-food chain, according to reports.
Luke Ching, 53, was fired from his position as part-time janitor after he penned an open letter to McDonald's Hong Kong CEO Randy Lai suggesting the revival of the company's meal-time pay for staff.
The pay was abolished by the organisation in 2009, which Ching said had reduced his average hourly pay from HK$45 to HK$39.375, The Hong Kong Free Press reported.
"You've worked at McDonald's. You would know that many colleagues return to work after eating quickly or give up their breaks," Ching told Lai in the open letter. "These are choices that they are forced to make."
On the same day he posted his open letter, Ching announced that he was terminated from his job.
McDonald's Hong Kong responded to Ching's termination saying he repeatedly violated policies by sharing internal operational and commercial information on public platforms, the South China Morning Post reported.
"We facilitated a sincere dialogue between this individual and our senior management, but unfortunately no improvement was observed," a spokesperson told the Post. "After serious consideration, we decided to terminate his employment."
According to the Post, the company did not comment on the issue of meal-time pay, but said it considers its employees as "invaluable assets." It also noted that they have consistently upgraded remuneration, allowances, and benefits that often surpass legal and industry standards.
"We have always embraced an open and inclusive culture and have provided our employees various communication channels to express their opinion," the company told Marketing-Interactive. "We continuously engage in timely assessments of our policies, with a commitment to fostering an environment of trust and transparency,"
McDonald's Hong Kong recently marked its 50th year this year by giving out a total of HK$10 million in bonuses to employees, as well as a salary increase.