McDonald's challenges compensation award

McDonald's is challenging an Employment Relations Authority (ERA) decision which awarded a teenage employee $15,000 compensation.

In a decision last month, the ERA found Chantelle Coup was constructively dismissed from McDonald's Kaiapoi fast food restaurant after joining the union Unite.

Ms Coup, 19, worked for McDonald's from December 2006 until she resigned the following August, two months after she and a number of other Kaiapoi McDonald's employees joined the union.

McDonald's franchisee Patrick Cornish has now filed a new challenge which will see the matter heard in the Employment Court.

"There are two sides to every story and we're still investigating our options," he told The Press newspaper.

Mr Cornish said he had not ruled out an out-of-court settlement.

Ms Coup, who now lives in Brisbane, said she was "devastated" about the challenge.

Unite national director Mike Treen said, when the ERA decision on Ms Coup was released, that the union often had problems with McDonald's franchise operators.

He said they often took the decision of their employees to join the union as a personal affront.