Sources with the China operation of hamburger king McDonald's said Monday that the fast-food giant has set about establishing trade union branches in the China-American joint ventures.

 

Although the wording is ambiguous, there is a positive change in the previous attitude of McDonald's toward setting up trade union organizations in its Chinese outlets.

 

McDonald's, as well as KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants, both operated by Yum! Brands Inc., were thrown in the spotlight as the three were all accused in late March of overworking and underpaying their part-time staff.

 

Kong Xianghong, vice chairman of the Guangdong Trade Unions Federation, said they had been contacting McDonald's and KFC over the establishment of trade unions since the start of the year.

 

After having discussed with the high-ranking managerial staffs of McDonald's (China) last Wednesday, Kong emerged the next day with the message that McDonald's had promised to set up union branches in Guangdong Province outlets before July.

 

However, McDonald's refused to confirm the claim and would not comment at the time.

 

"McDonald's (China) has always been cooperating with trade union organizations at all levels over the building of trade union branches in different marketplaces," said a spokeswoman for the Sanyuan McDonald's Food Co. Ltd, which is based in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province.

 

"As a matter of fact, we have already started to discuss matters for establishing trade union branches with related departments of Guangzhou," said the spokeswoman who insisted of being identified by her surname as "Feng" only when contacted by Xinhua.

 

The spokeswoman again failed to give an exact schedule for the establishment of trade union branches.

 

(Xinhua News Agency April 10, 2007)