Rats running amok inside a popular McDonald’s are an “almost daily” occurrence, according to disgruntled staff, who claim nothing is being done to curtail the problem.
Employees reported the outlet in Hindley Street, Adelaide, to a union but when a representative went to investigate the problem they were turned away by management.
Rats are not the only problem staff reported, with falling ceiling tiles and a leaking roof also on the embarrassing rap sheet, the Adelaide Advertiser reported.
Photos submitted to the newspaper show a rat running through the restaurant eating what appears to be a slice of cheese, while another photo appears to show a bag of burger buns nibbled by rodents.
One worker said rats were spotted “almost daily” for around six weeks but “nothing was being done.”
A representative from the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) visited the Hindley Street restaurant after receiving complaints but was unable to gain entry.
In a report to SafeWork SA the rep said issues raised by staff included a “rat infestation”.
They visited the branch at 12:15pm on Dec. 8 and were asked to wait “for an hour or two.”
SDA secretary Josh Peak said the union had “exercised our legal right to investigate a rat infestation” but was “blocked” by the fast food giant.
“McDonald’s should not be attempting to cover up health and safety concerns,” he said.
“Workers and consumers deserve to know that their workplaces and the products they sell are safe.
“It’s not just rats, but falling ceiling tiles, exposed wiring, and broken air conditioners that are subjecting workers to unnecessary risks.
He said McDonald’s needed to “start ensuring worker and consumer safety.”
A spokeswoman for McDonald’s said the fast food chain took “safety, cleanliness and hygiene very seriously and expect our restaurants to follow our strict cleaning, sanitisation and hygiene procedures at all times, including pest control”.
“This clearly falls short of those standards, and we are addressing this directly with the franchisee and restaurant,” she said.
She said “clear policies” existed to ensure compliance with the Fair Work Act including right of entry requirements.
“McDonald’s Australia does not accept or condone ‘anti-union’ conduct within our business or franchisee-owned restaurants,” she said.
A spokesman for SafeWork SA said the watchdog was “aware of the allegations and is conducting inquiries.”