Donald Trump’s pick for labor secretary owns a billion-dollar restaurant chain where sexual harassment has reached epidemic proportions.
A shocking two-thirds of female employees at CKE Restaurants, whose storefronts include Carl Jr.’s and Hardee’s, have reported sexual harassment at work.
The chains are operated by Andrew Puzder, Trump’s controversial nomination for cabinet—who also opposes minimum wage raises and overtime protections. If Puzder can’t protect women in his own restaurants, how will he protect women workers across America?
Remind Trump’s new labor secretary that it’s his job to protect women. Let’s hold him to account.
Critics have said that Puzder’s appointment is like the fox guarding the henhouse. A CEO of a billion-dollar corporation who enforces poverty wages and has settled countless class action suits because of laughable safety and health standards at his restaurants should not be entrusted with protecting workers.
Female employees report harassment from customers who ask them why they’re not dressed like the women in Carl Jr. commercials, which depict women eating hamburgers in sexually suggestive poses (yes, that’s right, a hamburger). Some say customers have even followed outside the store. When asked about his controversial commercials, Puzder replied, “We believe in putting hot models in our commercials, because ugly ones don’t sell burgers.” These are not the words of a man with women’s safety at heart.
SumOfUs has been fighting the complicity of corporations in sexual abuse and harassment all over the world. We made headlines in Canada when tens of thousands of us stood up for an airline stewardess who was sexually assaulted by a pilot -- and then fired when she reported it.
If enough of us stand up, we can make sure even Secretary Puzder takes action to make women safer on the job. Tell him to take action now.
More information
Quartz. 10 January 2017.
The Guardian. 10 January 2017.