2 Workers Try to Unionize a McDonald’s Restaurant

Two McDonald’s workers who led the nation’s first strike against the hamburger chain went to the National Labor Relations Board on Monday to try to unionize their local restaurant.

The workers joined leaders of Teamsters Local 416 and presented 21 union sign-up cards at the board’s Cleveland office. They believe the cards are enough to force a representation vote among the approximately 40 non-management workers at the suburban Macedonia, Ohio, restaurant.

“If we can organize McDonald’s, that would be great,” said Bryan Drapp, 19.

But Jed Greene, the owner of the McDonald’s, said he doubted the request will lead to a unionization of the restaurant, a move he said was unnecessary.

“From everything I’m hearing, the vast majority of my crew and managers do not support these two individuals’ actions,” Greene said.

About 20 employees, nearly all of them high school or college students, went on strike in April, complaining that supervisors yelled and swore at them and new employees got higher pay than veterans did.

The five-day walkout ended when managers promised to undergo human relations training and address other issues. Drapp said not much has changed since the settlement, however.

Officials at Oakbrook, Ill.-based McDonald’s Corp. were not immediately available for comment.