After years of being paid the industry Award minimum, McDonald’s workers across Australia are finally heading back to the bargaining table – and it’s a major breakthrough for fast food workers.
The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has approved the SDA’s application for bargaining to occur across McDonald’s Australia and its franchise network, paving the way for the first national McDonald’s enterprise agreement negotiations in more than a decade. For the SDA and tens of thousands of McDonald’s workers, this marks a hard‑won and significant breakthrough.
Bargaining Is Back Nation-wide
As one of the most profitable fast-food chains in the world it is important that McDonald’s pay their workers more than just the bare legal minimum.
McDonald’s walked away from enterprise bargaining in 2019, leaving workers without a collective voice to negotiate pay and conditions. Since then, the SDA has led a long national campaign to bring McDonald’s back into bargaining — including supported bargaining applications and sustained organising with workers on the ground.
That persistence has paid off. The Fair Work decision means McDonald’s will now bargain on a national basis, covering the overwhelming majority of McDonald’s restaurants — including company‑owned stores and franchise operations. Importantly, this also brings into scope franchisees who were previously outside earlier bargaining processes, as well as new franchisees entering the network.
A Pathway to a New Agreement – with improved pay and conditions
The decision creates a clear pathway to negotiate the first McDonald’s enterprise agreement since 2013 — covering a workforce that is overwhelmingly young.
While the Commission made the authorisation under the single‑interest bargaining stream rather than supported bargaining, the outcome is effectively what McDonald’s workers and the SDA have been calling for: national bargaining across the McDonald’s network.
Respresenting Macca’s members on the issues that matter
Bargaining will now focus on improvements that Macca’s workers want to see including:
- Better pay
- Fairer rostering
- Safer workplaces
- More say over their working conditions
Won by SDA union members
This win did not happen overnight. It was driven by the engagement and determination of tens of thousands of McDonald’s workers who supported the SDA campaign.
“We acknowledge the tens of thousands of McDonald’s workers who supported the SDA’s campaign. Their engagement and support were critical in achieving this outcome — and will be just as important in delivering an enterprise agreement,” Justin Power, SDA QLD Secretary said.
After years of struggling to be heard, McDonald’s workers are finally back at the table.
The SDA is ready to represent Macca’s members to bargain for improved pay, safer conditions, fairer rosters and a better deal at work.