Lawsuit Says McDonald's Condoned 'Racist' Franchise

(RTTNews) - McDonald's Corp. has come under fire for ignoring widespread racism, sexual harassment and illegal termination at outlets at one its franchise, Soweva Co.

The issue comes as a litmus test for McDonald's and the food industry in general for their perceived hands-off approach toward acts committed by their franchises.

In a lawsuit filed in a federal court under the Civil Rights Act on Thursday, ten former workers of McDonald's franchisee in Virginia alleged that a supervisor mouthed highly derogatory words, calling black employees bitch, ratchet, and ghetto. Nine of the complainants were black and one Latino.

The supervisor has also been alleged to have solicited sexual favors from female employees.

This was not an isolated case. Another supervisor called a Hispanic employee dirty Mexican and hot Mexican, sent employees pictures of his genitals, and indecently touched female workers.

The abused workers, the lawsuit alleged, were finally terminated from service on grounds that they did not fit the company profile.

While McDonald's had no direct role in the incidents, the company has been dragged into the case on the ground that McDonald's did nothing about it. The lawsuit says McDonald's is liable as Plaintiffs' employer which acquiesced and ratified Soweva's conduct.

McDonald's said it had not yet seen the lawsuit, but would review the matter. A spokesperson said the company has a history of embracing the diversity of employees, franchises and customers.

The local NAACP chapter in South Boston, Virginia NAACP - an African-American civil rights organization - has supported the lawsuit.

With the lawsuit, pressure piles up on McDonald's to involve itself in the matter in a fair manner and ensure that errant franchisees do not go scot-free.