Comments on: Are McDonald’s hiring practices discriminatory?

By: Tccoins4me

Tccoins4me — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 14:24:00 +0000

Thank-you for your comments!!!! My husband and I went to a McDonalds in Malibu yesterday. We should have walked out. If McDonalds cant find 1 english speaking employee to take an Americans order then why do I continue to bother going there? The McDonalds and every other fast food in my area is all nonenglish speaking employees. (Pomona). The good news is my health will be much better without all of them!!

By: Bob the ethics professor

Bob the ethics professor — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 04:07:19 +0000

I grew up in Reading, Massachusetts where the population is overwhelmingly white and English Speaking.
Mostly people of various British and other European descent. When I was growing up in the 70's, it was all English speaking. Now when I go to fast food restaurants as well as to many area suburban towns North of Boston with similar demographics I find almost everyone working there is of hispanic background of some kind and very much spanish speaking.
They're usually pleasant enough but they get things wrong a lot on orders because of limited Knowledge of English and often because they don't get what they're hearing through those lousy drivethrough speakers which a native English speaker could decipher better!! My question is why are hispanic workers so disproportionately represented in the staff of these area restaurants where the general population is still mostly non-hispanic? Secondly what has made the traditionally non-hispanic/native English speaking workers less attractive to hire than they used to be??

By: Bob the ethics professor

Bob the ethics professor — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 04:07:00 +0000

I grew up in Reading, Massachusetts where the population is overwhelmingly white and English Speaking.
Mostly people of various British and other European descent. When I was growing up in the 70′s, it was all English speaking. Now when I go to fast food restaurants as well as to many area suburban towns North of Boston with similar demographics I find almost everyone working there is of hispanic background of some kind and very much spanish speaking.
They’re usually pleasant enough but they get things wrong a lot on orders because of limited Knowledge of English and often because they don’t get what they’re hearing through those lousy drivethrough speakers which a native English speaker could decipher better!! My question is why are hispanic workers so disproportionately represented in the staff of these area restaurants where the general population is still mostly non-hispanic? Secondly what has made the traditionally non-hispanic/native English speaking workers less attractive to hire than they used to be??

By: Diann

Diann — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:29:24 +0000

In case you haven't noticed sir,it is happening everywhere. Instead of this being the Great USA..it is now becoming the new MEXICO etc.. All white people and black people step aside because our country is now becoming United States of Foreigners..instead of all speaking,writing and learning our language..we will soon be learning a different one,just to do business to even buy grocerys or a Big Mac. I see the signs everywhere I go. I am a truck driver and travel to many parts and we are being invaded and taken over from the inside of our boundrys and yet the Goverment or ourselves,we are doing nothing to stop it. We will not have to worry about whats outside our country attacking us. They are already here and doing it. That's my opinion. Thank You, Diann

By: Chuck Thompson

Chuck Thompson — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:50:38 +0000

Thank you for your comments Fernando. Now that you mention it, the employees at my neighborhood McDonald's do appear to have an excellent work ethic. They are always busy, working hard to maintain the atmosphere there and to keep the restaurant clean. I'll take it a step further, since you brought it up, and say that generally speaking, the Latinos I see working are always working hard and do not seem to resent hard work. It's a very good point and I appreciate you making it.

However, you addressed neither of my major points: the rudeness of speaking a foreign language in the workplace and the difficulty of working and training in such an environment. You've given a very good reason why an employer would want to hire a Latino, but you haven't explained why the employer does not require English to be spoken any time a non-English speaker is present. Thank you again for your comments.

By: Fernando Luciano

Fernando Luciano — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:48:45 +0000

Hello Mr. Chuck Thompson,

I just finished reading your thoughts on the possible discriminatory hiring practices of the McDonalds in your neighborhood. But I am willing to offer you a different vantage point. I have worked in the food industry since I turned 16 I am now 23. I have done everything from sit down restaurants to fast food; my focus here will be my fast food experience.

I worked for Wendy’s in Richardson for just about 3 year’s maybe a little less. There are a few key points in your thoughts that struck me, not only because I have had the same train of thought, only with a few differences.

You basically described the Wendy’s I worked for; as a matter of fact it’s the training store for all other managers that are to be sent to manage other Wendy’s in the surrounding areas. It’s my opinion that the reason it’s all Spanish behind the counter is because of the work ethic. It’s not that the hiring practices are unfair, rather simple work ethic. I saw many “Non-Hispanics” hired and fired. You see, in my time as an employee for Wendy’s, we hired several non-Hispanic personnel, but their work ethic was as good as a boat in a desert.

Management was always great; they would bend over backwards for any employee, but some how it was never enough for certain people. Now your rhetorical question actually does have an answer!

“Why would anyone even apply for a job in an environment which conducts business in a language an employee didn’t understand?”

Easily answered, to give them an opportunity to prove their work ethic, the current employees English is not in question since they have understood your order for the past 10 years, and you “Rarely order anything in the standard configuration”. Of course anyone can flourish in any environment as long as their work ethic deems them so.

There was a running joke while I worked for Wendy’s and I’m sure it’s still in place, anyone that lasted 6 months would last forever, and were made “An honorary Mexican” . And I can recall a few good non-Hispanics, that were employed that were not lazy, did not feel they were owed days off, who actually provided a clean, well managed, and welcoming environment that keeps patrons like you happy for 10 years and hopefully several more to come!

I thoroughly enjoyed your thoughts, and welcome a response from you!

Have a great day!

-Fernando

By: Tweets that mention McDonald’s hiring practices are discriminatory. -- Topsy.com

Tweets that mention McDonald’s hiring practices are discriminatory. -- Topsy.com — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:30:30 +0000

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