McDonald 's workers in 19 cities have filed complaints over burns from popping grease , a lack of protective equipment and other workplace hazards , according to labor organizers . The complaints are the latest move in an ongoing campaign to win pay of $ 15 an hour and unionization for fast-food workers by publicly pressuring McDonald 's to come to the bargaining table . The push is being spearheaded by the Service Employees International Union and began more than two years ago . Already , it has included protests around the country and lawsuits alleging workers were n't given their rightful pay . On the job : McDonald 's workers in 19 cities have filed complaints over burns from popping grease , a lack of protective equipment and other workplace hazards , according to labor organizers ( stock image ) The burns and other hazards were detailed in complaints announced Monday and filed with U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration in recent weeks . Workers cite a persistent lack of gloves for handling hot equipment and say they 've been burned while cleaning grills that have to be kept on . One worker says he was told by a manager to , 'put mayonnaise on it , you 'll be good . ' The complaints also detail a lack of training for handling hot fryers and slipping on wet floors . A representative for the Labor Department , Laura McGinnis , confirmed the complaints were received by OSHA but said the agency does not discuss ongoing investigations . Take care : Workers cite a persistent lack of gloves for handling hot equipment and say they 've been burned while cleaning grills that have to be kept on ( unrelated photo ) Chain reaction : The complaints are the latest move in an ongoing campaign to win pay of $ 15 an hour and unionization for fast-food workers by publicly pressuring McDonald 's to come to the bargaining table . In a statement , McDonald 's Corp. said the company and its independent franchisees are committed to providing safe working conditions for employees , and will review the allegations . 'It is important to note that these complaints are part of a larger strategy orchestrated by activists targeting our brand and designed to generate media coverage , ' Heidi Barker Sa Shekhem , a McDonald 's spokeswoman , said in the statement . The complaints extend a central theme of the 'Fight for $ 15 ' campaign , which has been to hold McDonald 's accountable for working conditions at its franchised locations . That would ease the way for worker negotiations and unionization across the company 's more than 14,000 U.S. restaurants , the vast majority of which are run by franchisees . McDonald 's and other fast-food chains , including Burger King and Wendy 's , have said they 're not responsible for employment decisions at franchised restaurants . The matter has reached the general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board , which said late last year that McDonald 's could be named as a joint employer in complaints by workers . Those complaints have yet to be heard , but whichever side loses is expected to appeal the decision . Kendall Fells , organizing director for Fight for $ 15 , said the injuries at franchised and company-owned restaurants mostly came about because understaffing and employees being told to work too quickly - both of which he said were the result of a computer system that tracks sales and staffing metrics . The computer system was also cited in lawsuits last year that allege 'wage theft ' by McDonald 's and its franchisees for the denial of breaks and overtime pay . That system has been key in the argument by labor groups that McDonald 's exerts enough control over franchised restaurants to be considered a joint employer . Nothing unusual : Mary Vogel , executive director of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health , said that the burns and other hazards detailed in the complaints are 'pretty universal ' in the fast-food industry . Fells noted that workers are looking at every way they can hold McDonald 's accountable , and that workplace injuries are just the latest issue they 're bringing to light . Although the OSHA complaint system does n't let workers name joint employers , Randy Rabinowitz , a health and safety legal expert who was hired by the Fight for $ 15 campaign , said there have been other cases where multiple employers are issued citations for the same violations . She said she 's not aware of any such cases involving fast-food restaurants , however . She said the first onsite OSHA visits triggered by the complaints took place in the past week or so , and that the agency has six months to issue citations . Mary Vogel , executive director of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health , said in a conference call organized by labor groups that the burns and other hazards detailed in the complaints are 'pretty universal ' in the fast-food industry . McDonald 's , which saw customer visits at established U.S. locations decline in each of the past two years , has been trying to reinvigorate its image . Earlier this month , the company 's chief administrative officer , Pete Bensen , said a big part of the U.S. turnaround will be what the company is doing around 'the employment image and our employee-employer relationships . '
McDonald 's workers in 19 cities have filed complaints over workplace hazards , according to labor organizers . Employees cite a persistent lack of gloves for handling hot equipment and say they 've been burned while cleaning grills that have to be kept on . In a statement , McDonald 's said the company and its franchisees are committed to providing safe working conditions , and will review allegations .