Chipotle Agrees to Pay $240,000 to Former Employees of Maine Restaurant After Unionization Attempts

Chipotle Mexican Grill has agreed to pay $240,000 to former employees of an Augusta, Maine restaurant as part of a settlement stemming from a complaint that the company violated federal law by closing the restaurant after workers attempted to unionize.

The settlement, released by union officials on Monday, states that two dozen employees will receive payments from Chipotle ranging from $5,800 to more than $21,000 each, based on pay rates, average hours and seniority. The affected employees will also be placed on a preferential hiring list for other Maine locations.

“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 organizer of the Chipotle United union. “It’s a win for food service workers across the country.”

Chipotle did not admit to wrongdoing as part of the settlement. The company announced it was permanently closing its Augusta, Maine, location last year after workers filed a National Labor Relations Board petition for a union election.

The settlement is seen as a victory for workers’ rights and a reminder to corporations that they must comply with federal labor laws. It is also a reminder that workers have the right to unionize and should not be retaliated against for doing so.