MCDONALD’S faces a class action lawsuit over allegations workers were regularly groped and harassed.

Lawyers for junior crew members and the staff today shared shocking examples of sexual abuse by bosses.

Allegations of sexual harassment at McDonald’s first surfaced in Britain five years ago when the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) said it had received 1,000 complaints from crew members. 

Law firm Leigh Day said it believes employees under the age of 20 could be entitled to bring claims over being exposed to unsafe working practices that may have enabled a “culture of inappropriate and unlawful conduct.”

Its group legal action was announced after a BBC investigation revealed more allegations of abuse.

McDonald’s apologised over having “fallen short,” adding that there was “simply no place for harassment, abuse or discrimination” at the company. 

One of Leigh Day’s clients said she was 17 when she worked at a McDonald’s branch in Liverpool.

“In the space of just a few months, she says she witnessed male colleagues, most of whom were older, making bets on who could sleep with new starters, experienced a manager touching her on her bum and heard older male crew members making comments about her body,” a spokeswoman for the law firm said.

“She tried to report the sexual harassment she experienced while employed by McDonald’s via email but did not receive a response.”

Leigh Day partner Kiran Daurka said the fast-food giant’s “empire relies upon a young and inexperienced workforce, and it is vital that they have a safe place of work.”

McDonald’s UK and Ireland CEO Alistair Macrow has been summoned to face questioning by the business and trade committee on November 14.

Mr Macrow said: “I am completely determined to root out any behaviour that falls below the high standards of respect, safety and inclusion we demand of everyone at McDonald’s. That is why, in July, I immediately ordered measures to address critical areas we needed to strengthen.

“I initiated a company-wide programme of independent investigations, auditing of our complaints processes, reviews of our codes of conduct and, in a number of cases, full disciplinary hearings.

“We started investigations on every single allegation brought to our attention. We also introduced an additional reporting mechanism and reminded employees of every existing channel available to them.

“At the same time as introducing these new processes, we appointed external employment experts at PWC to independently evaluate and report on the effectiveness of our employment practices, safeguarding and disciplinary procedures.

“This process is under way, and we plan to implement new steps identified by this review as appropriate.

“While we are confident in the first steps we have taken, I am determined to understand what more we can do, and our efforts will need to be far-reaching and constantly evolving. We know, however, that new processes will take time to embed fully in each of our 1,500 restaurants across the UK and Ireland.

“I am personally committed to ensuring all cases brought to our attention are investigated quickly and thoroughly. Where our standards have been breached, or where our processes fall short, I will drive change. I know it takes a great deal of personal courage to speak up and it is my top priority to ensure we act swiftly and decisively on what we hear.”