Chipotle to Pay Nearly Quarter Million Dollars in Settlement to Former Augusta Employees for Union Busting 

 Chipotle Mexican Grill has agreed to pay $240,000 to former employees of its shuttered Augusta, Maine location as part of a settlement for illegally closing the restaurant in the middle of a union organizing drive on July 19, 2022. The settlement follows a finding by the National Labor Relations Board that Chipotle violated the National Labor Relations Act when it illegally closed the store and subsequently blackballed members of Chipotle United from being hired at its other locations in Maine.

“This isn't just a victory for Chipotle United. It's a win for food service workers across the country. It sends a message to corporations that shutting down a store and blackballing workers didn't work for Chipotle and it won't work for them either,” said Brandi McNease, a former Augusta Chipotle employee and lead Chipotle United organizer. “In every store under the Regional Manager that blackballed us after the shutdown, there will be a notice that says Chipotle broke the law. Every Chipotle employee in the Northeast will know that they have a right to join a union and if Chipotle retaliates, there will be consequences."

According to the settlement:

• Chipotle will pay total of $240K to employees on payroll on July 19, 2022 when it closed the Augusta store

• Employees will receive between $5,800-$21,000 depending on their average number of hours worked, pay rate, and longevity prior to store closing.

• Chipotle will offer preferential rehire to all Augusta employees at other Maine locations for period of one year

• Chipotle will post a notice in about 40 stores in ME, NH, and MA that it will not close stores or discriminate on the basis of union support. These stores are all under the leadership of Chipotle Regional Manager Jarolin Maldonado, who is responsible for blacklisting pro-union employees from being hired at other Chipotle locations.

"Now that we've won this battle, we will keep fighting," McNease added. "Every service employee deserves the right to safe working conditions and fair wages to support our families and this movement won't stop until we get them. We are going to put an end to the old way of doing business.”

The Augusta Chipotle workers became the first Chipotle employees in the nation to file for union recognition to bargain for safer working conditions, better staffing and a seat at the table.Since then Chipotle workers in Lansing, Michigan voted for union representation. Chipotle workers in Lawrence, Kansas also reportedly have been attempting to organize.