The West Australian on 5 July 2010 reports on McDonald's Australia in 2010 - the same multinational championed by a majority of Clarence Valley shire councillors in the face of significant opposition from residents in the small NSW North Coast town of Yamba:
A major union wants maternity leave for migrant workers, labelling allegations that a McDonald's assistant manager was sacked after refusing an abortion a "disgusting abuse of human rights".
The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association said 457 visa workers should get the same entitlements as local residents, which included the right to up to 12 months' unpaid maternity leave.
National secretary Joe de Bruyn said migrants should be allowed to remain in Australia during the leave, with the guaranteed right to return to their jobs.
He also called for migrant workers to get 18 weeks paid maternity leave under the Federal Government scheme when it was implemented next year. Mr de Bruyn rejected claims the move would undermine the spirit of the work visa, which was to fill skilled job vacancies where there are no locals available.
"Every worker should get the same entitlements, otherwise it is discrimination," Mr de Bruyn said.
It follows claims that Rechilda Moll-Sequitin, a Filipina who was brought to WA on a 457 visa to work at the McDonald's Mindarie restaurant, was forced to have an abortion before being eventually sacked because she refused to abort a second pregnancy.
Court documents show the woman alleges that she was told she would lose her job and be sent back to the Philippines if she did not have an abortion, so she terminated the pregnancy in September 2008.
"If these allegations are true, it is an absolutely disgusting abuse of human rights," Mr de Bruyn said.
ISA Group migration agency has recruited up to 60 workers for McDonald's restaurants in WA and about 150 nationally.
