Operations

Chipotle Teamsters demanding 'fair contracts'

Laurie Schalow, Chipotle's chief corporate affairs officer, said the Union is delaying bargaining meetings but her company is committed to ensuring a fair work environment.

Members of Teamsters Locals 243, 247, 332, 337, 406 and 1038 picket and leaflet Monday outside of Chipotle restaurants in Lansing and Detroit. Photo: Chipotle Teamsters

August 28, 2024

Members of Teamsters Locals 243, 247, 332, 337, 406 and 1038 picketed and leafleted Monday outside of Chipotle restaurants in Lansing and Detroit, demanding a "fair contract," said Scott Quenneville, president of Local 243 in Lansing.

"These hardworking Teamsters aren't going to back down from a fight for fair wages, increased safety standards, a fair process for scheduling and protection from retaliation," he said in a company press release. "Chipotle is a multibillion-dollar enterprise. They can easily afford our demands."

The workers, who held signs that said, "Our Labor Costs Extra," and "Union Busting is Disgusting — Solidarity is Delicious," are the only unionized Chipotle employees in the country. The demonstrations came a few days after a National Labor Relations Board prosecutor said the corporate giant was unlawfully withholding raises as a way to punish the workers for unionizing. The NLRB said it could file charges against Chipotle to be heard by the board's administrative law judge if an agreement isn't made between the fast casual chain and the Teamsters.

"Chipotle's management is trying every nasty tactic they can think of to stop workers from getting a fair contract. It's not working," Quenneville said.

Laurie Schalow, Chipotle's chief corporate affairs officer, said the chain respects employees' rights to organize under the National Labor Relations Act and is committed to ensuring a fair, just and humane work environment.

"We have been bargaining in good faith on the first union agreement at our Saginaw Highway restaurant in Lansing, Michigan," she said in a statement to FastCasual.com. "The Union, however, has consistently delayed scheduling opportunities for us to meet at the bargaining table. Most recently, even though the Union committed to sending its availability for our next negotiation session over five months ago, the Union informed us on August 16 that their committee is available to meet in late September or October. We are now scheduled to resume negotiations this fall."

Atulyah Dora-Laskey, a Chipotle Teamster in Lansing and member of the union's negotiating committee, said Chipotle won't listen to its concerns.

"They have tried intimidating the messenger into silence by retaliating against unionized crew members," Dora-Laskey said in the press release. "We feel vindicated by the recent NLRB ruling. This retaliation has only cemented for us why it's so important that Chipotle crew unionize. Our union support is higher than ever as we fight to wrap up this contract."

Peter Finn, Teamsters Western Region international VP and director of the Teamsters Food Processing Division, said Chipotle has denied its workers raises for unionizing, while handing out bonuses to its c-suite, including an $8 million bonus to Chief Financial Officer Jack Hartung.

"Instead of paying Chipotle frontline workers enough money to make ends meet, the leadership of this company is congratulating itself with million-dollar bonuses for not quitting," Finn said in the press release. "This is an egregious slap in the face to the people who make this company successful. Chipotle leadership needs to stop wasting money, stop wasting time, and give our members the contract that they have earned."

Schalow maintained that Chipotle gives workers industry-leading benefits such as debt-free degrees, tuition reimbursement up to $5,250 per year, access to mental healthcare, financial planning tools and the opportunity for quarterly bonuses for all employees, including hourly crew members, up to a month's worth of pay per year.

"We also provide transparent career progression showing how Chipotle crew members can advance to a Restaurateur, the highest General Manager position, in as little as three and a half years, with a total potential compensation package of approximately $100,000 while leading a multi-million-dollar growing business," she said. "Last year, Chipotle had 24,000 internal promotions including 90% of our restaurant management roles and 87% of Field Leader positions."

Teamsters Local 243, with union halls in Lansing and Plymouth Township, represents more than 4,000 workers across Michigan.