A Chipotle restaurant in Michigan has become the first of its kind to unionize successfully.
Employees at the Lansing, Michigan, restaurant, one of four in the area, voted “overwhelmingly” to form a union with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters on Thursday, according to a press release. Lansing’s Teamsters Local 243 represents 4,000 workers.
“Chipotle pulled in revenue of $7.5 billion last year, and just as we’re seeing workers of all ages and backgrounds across the country take on these corporate giants, it’s so inspiring to see Chipotle workers stand up and demand more from a company that can clearly afford it,” President of Local 243 Scott Quenneville said. “The Teamsters have these workers’ backs. They’re going to have a union they can be proud of, that knows how to get things done.”
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“[Chipotle] is proud to offer our employees industry-leading benefits such as competitive wages, debt-free degrees, tuition reimbursement up to $5,250 per year, health benefits and quarterly bonuses for all employees,” Chipotle’s chief corporate affairs officer Laurie Schalow said.
The company also issued a statement sharing it was “disappointed that the employees at our Lansing, MI restaurant chose to have a third party speak on their behalf because we continue to believe that working directly together is best for our employees.”
“Throughout this process, the Teamsters have shown us that they have our backs and are dedicated to doing whatever possible to support us in our fight against this huge corporation,” yearlong Chipotle employee Atulya Dora-Laskey said. “We look forward to negotiating a strong Teamsters contract that will improve working conditions and raise wages at Chipotle.”
A Chipotle restaurant in Augusta, Maine, closed in July following its employees’ attempt to unionize, which was the first to do so among the 4,000 locations. The employees subsequently filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board. This time around, Chipotle did not object to the Lansing location’s filing for an election.
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Last year, Michigan saw 58 filings for union elections, with 38 held, and 24 establishing a new union. Currently, there are 12 cases searching for representation and nine awaiting a vote.
