Labor and Policy: Page 16

  • An image of a curly haired woman amid a gray background.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Bloomin' Brands
    Image attribution tooltip

    Bloomin’ hires HR vet as chief human resources officer

    Suzann Trevisan brings over 27 years of experience in human resources to her role at the company, which has faced labor cost growth. 

    By • Sept. 19, 2022
  • A Starbucks Store
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Starbucks
    Image attribution tooltip

    The 4 biggest takeaways from Starbucks’ Investor Day

    The coffee chain laid out plans to target loyalty growth, labor efficiency and international openings, with a goal of reaching 45,000 stores by 2025.

    By • Sept. 14, 2022
  • An image of a redesigned Starbucks line.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Starbucks, Joshua Trujillo
    Image attribution tooltip

    Starbucks debuts kitchen system to boost speed while keeping customization

    In a demonstration during the the chain’s Investor Day, a barista could make a mocha frappuccino almost 50 seconds faster than with Starbucks’ old model. 

    By • Sept. 14, 2022
  • Starbucks workers on strike outside a Seattle Starbucks in June 2022.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Christopher Doering/Restaurant Dive
    Image attribution tooltip
    Starbucks unionization efforts

    Starbucks expands non-union benefits with savings, student loan repayment tools

    Starbucks maintains its position that it can’t legally extend benefits to unionized stores without bargaining on a store-by-store level, but the union claims these perks are meant to quash organizing. 

    By • Sept. 13, 2022
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Retrieved from Bojangles/Business Wire on March 02, 2021
    Image attribution tooltip

    EEOC: Bojangles transferred employee for alleging sexual harassment

    Effective reporting procedures for sexual harassment are necessary for Title VII compliance, the agency said in announcing a lawsuit.

    By Kate Tornone • Sept. 12, 2022
  • Starbucks mobile orders on a counter.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Starbucks
    Image attribution tooltip

    Starbucks will rehire 7 pro-union workers it fired in February

    The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals denied the company’s request to stay an injunction ordering the company to offer to rehire fired organizers.

    By • Sept. 9, 2022
  • A sign saying "we're hiring!" hangs in a Starbucks window.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Mario Tama / Staff via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Starbucks shareholder files suit over diverse hiring

    A conservative think tank claims Starbucks’ diverse hiring practices violate the Civil Rights Act of 1965.

    By Caroline Colvin • Sept. 9, 2022
  • Gavin Newsom
    Image attribution tooltip
    The image by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
    Image attribution tooltip

    Restaurant groups push to repeal California’s fast food council law

    A coalition led by industry groups has about three months to collect signatures necessary to put the repeal of AB 257 on the 2024 general election ballot.

    By • Sept. 8, 2022
  • Gavin Newsom gives a speech.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Industry wonders what’s next as Newsom signs fast food council bill

    The National Restaurant Association vows to fight against what organized labor heralded as one of the biggest changes to labor law in decades.

    By • Sept. 6, 2022
  • An image of McDonald's logo
    Image attribution tooltip
    Dan Kitwood via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    McDonald’s president denounces CA fast food council bill

    Joe Erlinger wrote in a letter Wednesday that the legislation would establish an uneven playing field, forcing major chains and their franchisees to raise wages while other business owners would be exempt. 

    By • Aug. 31, 2022
  • The California statehouse
    Image attribution tooltip
    The image by Jimmy Emerson, DVM is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
    Image attribution tooltip

    California Senate approves fast food labor council with power to set wages

    Chains with over 100 units nationally would be subject to regulations formulated by the council, which includes industry and labor representatives.

    By • Updated Aug. 30, 2022
  • The Starbucks logo hangs outside one of the company's cafes in Northwich on 3 July, 2008 in Northwich, England.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Christopher Furlong via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Starbucks unionization efforts

    Starbucks must extend benefits to union workers, regional NLRB office says

    A Seattle NLRB office issued a complaint asserting the company and interim CEO Howard Schultz violated labor law by giving benefits to non-union stores.

    By • Aug. 26, 2022
  • Teamsters pose outside a Lansing, Michigan Chipotle where workers voted 11-3 to join the union on Aug. 25
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by International Brotherhood of Teamsters
    Image attribution tooltip

    Chipotle workers at Michigan store unionize

    Workers voted 11-3 to join the Teamsters, marking the first successful union push at the chain, which permanently closed a Maine store that organized with an independent union.

    By • Aug. 26, 2022
  • drive thru painted on street for directions
    Image attribution tooltip
    booker5m via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Restaurant outsourcing startup Bite Ninja raises $11.3M

    The firm has trained 12,000 workers to take orders remotely, offering savings for restaurants that don’t want to hire traditional employees. 

    By • Aug. 24, 2022
  • A McDonald's store is shown in Houston, Texas.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Judge approves McDonald’s franchisee’s $1.5M settlement in sexual harassment suit

    About 100 plaintiffs, who alleged they were harassed by a Michigan store manager, will be able to claim an average of $10,000 each.

    By • Aug. 18, 2022
  • People hold signs while protesting in front of Starbucks on April 14, 2022 in New York City.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Starbucks unionization efforts

    Starbucks requests NLRB suspend mail-in union elections

    The chain claims the labor board and Workers United engaged in misconduct during the voting process in a Kansas City-area cafe, and likely other elections.

    By • Aug. 15, 2022
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Stefani Reynolds / Stringer via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Restaurant Revitalization Fund

    73 Congress members ask SBA to immediately disburse leftover RRF funds

    Legislators have also asked the body to prioritize any of the roughly 7,000 applicants who were approved for grants last year but didn’t receive funding. 

    By • Aug. 11, 2022
  • People wait in line to enter a building with a sweetgreen logo at the top.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Scott Olson via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Sweetgreen lays off 5% of support staff

    These reductions could result in annual savings of $4 million and help the chain reach profitability potentially as early as 2024, according to the company.

    By • Aug. 10, 2022
  • A round red sign hanging off of a glass building that says Chipotle
    Image attribution tooltip
    Michael M. Santiago / Staff via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Chipotle to pay $20M to employees in NYC Fair Workweek settlement

    About 13,000 workers will receive $50 for each week or part of the week they worked between November 2017 and April 2022, per the agreement’s terms. 

    By • Aug. 10, 2022
  • A picture of one of Reef's mobile kitchens.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of REEF Technology
    Image attribution tooltip
    Deep Dive // Reef Technology's expansion

    How Reef helps shape city ghost kitchen regulations to accommodate its model

    The ghost kitchen company has devised two paths into new markets: one through city hall, and one through back doors of hotel kitchens.

    By • Aug. 8, 2022
  • Seattle USA, Washington State, Seattle skyline and Mount Rainier - stock photo
    Image attribution tooltip
    Philip Kramer/DigitalVision via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Seattle passes permanent 15% delivery fee cap with exceptions

    Seattle joins San Francisco in approving a permanent cap, but allows delivery firms to charge more if restaurants opt for additional services, like marketing. 

    By • Aug. 4, 2022
  • The U.S. Capitol building.
    Image attribution tooltip
    drnadig via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Restaurant Revitalization Fund

    SBA to disburse $180M in remaining RRF funds

    While the Small Business Administration confirmed it would distribute the money, it has yet to provide additional details on how it will be allocated. 

    By • Aug. 3, 2022
  • Starbucks Workers United members picket outside a Starbucks in Watertown, Ma., on August 1, 2022.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Kylah Clay, Starbucks Workers United
    Image attribution tooltip

    Workers United says it will waive bargaining rights over some Starbucks benefits

    The union said its members want to be included in new benefits, such as wage increases, credit card tipping, faster sick leave accrual and revived training programs.

    By • Aug. 2, 2022
  • A restaurant worker wearing a clear plastic mask shield speaks with restaurant patrons.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Ian Forsyth via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Restaurant Revitalization Fund

    NRA urges SBA to release $180M in leftover RRF funds

    Per a Government Accountability Office report, $24 million of the funding was designated for litigation, and roughly $56 million came from returned grants.

    By • July 28, 2022
  • A man and woman looking at receipts inside a cafe
    Image attribution tooltip
    Ridofranz via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Study: Over one-third of restaurant operators implementing hiring freezes

    Despite an ongoing labor shortage, 4% of small restaurant owners said they are cutting staff, a July Alignable report also found. 

    By Alicia Kelso • July 28, 2022