McDonald's staff go on strike after bad odors and water leaks in LA restaurant made workers sick, report says

• Bad smells and water leaks at a McDonald's restaurant in LA have made staff sick, per The Guardian.
• The smell from the pipes gave staff headaches, and nausea, a worker told The Guardian.

McDonald's workers at a restaurant in Los Angeles said they went on strike because there were bad odors and water leaks making staff feel sick, The Guardian reported.

The pipes near the restaurant's drive-thru window have emitted a bad smell over the past year, but it's recently got worse, Jasmina Alfaro, an employee at the McDonald's outlet in LA who went on strike, told the newspaper.

"It has become a horrible smell all over the kitchen and store and we've noticed there's water also leaking with disgusting debris," she said.

The bad odor has left her and her colleagues feeling nauseous and with stomach aches and headaches, Alfaro told The Guardian.

Staff at the McDonald's location were still expected to work despite feeling ill from the smell, Alfaro said, adding that she hasn't received any compensation for the days she did not work because of the odor.

Alfaro told The Guardian that going on strike was the only way for the McDonald's workers at the location to have their their voices heard. The strike started on May 2 and will continue until the issue is dealt with.

"We shouldn't have to risk our health to make a living," Alfaro added.

In California, fast-food workers are calling on lawmakers to back the proposed FAST Recovery Act, which would give workers a say on salaries, safety, and other issues in the hospitality sector by creating a council.

Alfaro told The Guardian that the odor problem at the McDonald's location is a reason why the act needs to become law.

A McDonald's spokesperson told The Guardian the restaurant recently had a health inspection and "was found to be in good standing."

"We have already begun repairing a plumbing issue that recently arose at the restaurant and expect it to be resolved shortly," the spokesperson said.

McDonald's didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.