# McDonald's franchise urges employees to vote Republican **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 29, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817 "2010-10-29T20:50:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/1 "2010-10-29T20:50:07Z")
Well, I guess we all know now that Mayor McCheese belongs to the party of Lincoln. Anyway, here is the story: > **[McDonald's Tells Employees to Vote Republican](https://www.gawker.com/5676830/mcdonalds-tells-employees-to-vote-republican)** > > Employees at an Ohio McDonald's franchise received a nice letter along with their paychecks the other week, just reminding them that elections are coming. And, oh, that if they want to keep getting raises and benefits, they should vote Republican. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/2 "2010-10-29T20:55:35Z")
So a business owner tells his employees which candidates he likes. What is wrong with this, and why is it even news? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/3 "2010-10-29T21:03:11Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > So a business owner tells his employees which candidates he likes. What is wrong with this, and why is it even news? According to the article: > [@](#): > > The letter itself is most likely illegal, based on Ohio election law that forbids employers from “calculating or influencing the political action” of their employees If you read the actual letter, it says: > [@](#): > > If the right people are elected, we will be able to continue with raises and benefits at or above our present levels. If others are elected we will not. The letter then gives the names of the “right people”. (all Repubicans) The language seems clear to me: If Republicans do not get into office we will punish our employees by denying raises and benefits. They could have probably phrased things a bit more subtly and gotten away with it. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/4 "2010-10-29T21:13:09Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > So a business owner tells his employees which candidates he likes. What is wrong with this, and why is it even news? Because it violates an entire BOATLOAD of Ohio Election Laws. And the State’s Attorney is already all over it. He’s in real trouble and backpedaling pretty quickly. Good luck to him escaping a major fine and keeping his franchises. In all, an amateurish move and he’ll pay the price for it. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/5 "2010-10-29T21:17:45Z")
How is this any different from the NEA or SEIU telling their members who to vote for? ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/6 "2010-10-29T21:23:12Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > How is this any different from the NEA or SEIU telling their members who to vote for? Technically, you don’t work for the union. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/7 "2010-10-29T21:27:09Z")
> [@perfectparanoia](#): > > Technically, you don’t work for the union. Right, just keep telling yourself that… ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/8 "2010-10-29T21:41:32Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > How is this any different from the NEA or SEIU telling their members who to vote for? I’d have a problem if they explicitly said: > [@](#): > > If you do not vote for the following Democrat candidates, we will ensure that you get no salary increase or benefits when we negotiate your next contract. As I said, there are subtle ways to tell people to vote. This crossed the line. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/9 "2010-10-29T22:01:34Z")
> [@perfectparanoia](#): > > Technically, you don’t work for the union. So if the union tells you to strike you should not listen to them? ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/10 "2010-10-29T22:03:33Z")
As compared to “voting for these candidates is crucial for our continued contracts and funding”, without which, we’ll have to make job cuts ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/11 "2010-10-29T22:29:47Z")
The law “forbids employers from “calculating or influencing the political action” of their employees” An employer holds the power of hiring and dismissal over their employees. A union does not. It may have escaped your notice that unions are not as ubiquitous and powerful as they may have been in the past. At any rate, **flickster** ’s argument is toothless, unless he can provide a cite to an equivalent law for unions, as well as a union that has run afoul of that law. The franchisee phrased things very poorly in the note to employees, and it could reasonably be construed that he was trying to “influence the political action of their employees” thus breaking the law. You may argue that it’s a bad law, and you may argue that the law should also apply to unions, but you don’t appear to be, so thank you for coming, and here are some lovely parting gifts. ---
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/12 "2010-10-29T22:48:03Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > The law “forbids employers from “calculating or influencing the political action” of their employees” > > An employer holds the power of hiring and dismissal over their employees. A union does not. > It may have escaped your notice that unions are not as ubiquitous and powerful as they may have been in the past. > > At any rate, **flickster** ’s argument is toothless, unless he can provide a cite to an equivalent law for unions, as well as a union that has run afoul of that law. > > The franchisee phrased things very poorly in the note to employees, and it could reasonably be construed that he was trying to “influence the political action of their employees” thus breaking the law. > > You may argue that it’s a bad law, and you may argue that the law should also apply to unions, but you don’t appear to be, so thank you for coming, and here are some lovely parting gifts. Lawyered! ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/13 "2010-10-29T23:15:56Z")
I’d approve if the boss had phrased it like this: > [@](#): > > If the right people give me a blow job, we will be able to continue with raises and benefits at or above our present levels. If no one blows me, we will not. Sadly, he went for sordid political gain, rather than extorting cheap thrills from his thralls. Where is this man’s sense of _tradition_? ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/14 "2010-10-29T23:28:25Z")
Point of order: how would the employer in this case even know who (of his employees) had voted for whom? And thus retaliate by withholding pay raises, benefits, or even firing someone? And yes, unions get a free pass for this; it _should_ be stopped, but it won’t be. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/15 "2010-10-30T00:03:54Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > Point of order: how would the employer in this case even know who (of his employees) had voted for whom? And thus retaliate by withholding pay raises, benefits, or even firing someone? It wouldn’t. It would still withhold pay raises, presumably for everyone, even if every single [del]slave[/del]employee had voted Republican. Which is either stupid beyond comprehension, or a clever pretext for an unpopular action which is planned to go forward anyway (assuming the prognosis of a local Republican win is bleak, which I have no idea). In the second case, management tells its employees “well, we warned you, you brought this on yourselves”, employees go at each other for being the suspected Dem voters who fucked things up for everyone, management smiles. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/16 "2010-10-30T00:09:26Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > Point of order: how would the employer in this case even know who (of his employees) had voted for whom? And thus retaliate by withholding pay raises, benefits, or even firing someone? That’s irrelevant, according to the law in Ohio. > [@](#): > > And yes, unions get a free pass for this; it _should_ be stopped, but it won’t be. Why? Unions cut the paychecks for their members? It’s readily apparent that there’s a difference between a union member and an employee, and I have no intention of further arguing this ridiculous analogy. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/17 "2010-10-30T00:15:46Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > Point of order: how would the employer in this case even know who (of his employees) had voted for whom? And thus retaliate by withholding pay raises, benefits, or even firing someone? > > And yes, unions get a free pass for this; it _should_ be stopped, but it won’t be. There is no equivalence between a union and an employer. None. Zero. Your (and others’) attempts to draw one are ridiculous and cannot be supported by facts. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/18 "2010-10-30T00:59:11Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > There is no equivalence between a union and an employer. None. Zero. Your (and others’) attempts to draw one are ridiculous and cannot be supported by facts. Riiiiight. Because an organization with deep pockets, a history of violence, and a vested interest in having their members behave and vote a certain way have absolutely zero similarity to the case in the OP. What’s scary is that you actually believe it. Look, I’m not excusing the McD’s owner’s behavior in the OP; I say hit him where it hurts the most: his pocketbook. But let’s not pretend other groups/organiztions don’t do the exact same thing. I routinely see it on the Union bulletin boards at the various companies I service in the greater St. Louis Metro area, using almost exactly the same language and fear-mongering (“Vote for Canidate X, or evil scum-sucking business owners will eliminate your job!”) as the case in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/19 "2010-10-30T01:15:05Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > Riiiiight. Because an organization with deep pockets, a history of violence, and a vested interest in having their members behave and vote a certain way have absolutely zero similarity to the case in the OP. > > What’s scary is that you actually believe it. > > Look, I’m not excusing the McD’s owner’s behavior in the OP; I say hit him where it hurts the most: his pocketbook. > > But let’s not pretend other groups/organiztions don’t do the exact same thing. I routinely see it on the Union bulletin boards at the various companies I service in the greater St. Louis Metro area, using almost exactly the same language and fear-mongering (“Vote for Canidate X, or evil scum-sucking business owners will eliminate your job!”) as the case in the OP. An employer is not a “group” or “organization” to it’s employees. You cannot support your implied contention that they are the same with any facts. Cannot. You know how I know that? Because the law defines them as different things. And you know why the law does that? Because they are different things. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/20 "2010-10-30T01:32:22Z")
But they’re bringing back the McRib on November 2nd. That’s sure to bring out hoards of democrat voters. En route to get their McRib, they might stop off at the polling station and actually vote. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817.md?page=2)