The workers at the Augusta Chipotle are forming a union.
The workers at the restaurant in the state’s capital filed for recognition as an independent union, Chipotle United, on Wednesday, according to the Maine AFL-CIO.
That comes just a week after the Chipotle workers staged a two-day walkout in protest of what they called unsafe working conditions.
Chipotle workers told the Kennebec Journal last week that low staffing is a big concern for them. Two workers are often doing the food preparation work of six people, and the restaurant will be staffed with three to four people when at least seven are needed.
In a letter to the chain’s national management, they called those demands “unreasonable” and said they jeopardize the safety of customers and themselves.
Workers also complained about a lack of training and support from upper management, the newspaper reported.
It’s the latest chain restaurant to see worker activism in the state. Last month, workers at the Starbucks in Biddeford went public with their union campaign, citing staffing shortages and little training.
