
Lewit Gemeda is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s news and commentary, new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that the number of unionized workers in the United States increased by 200,000 from 2021 to 2022, and Chipotle has agreed to settle a lawsuit with the NLRB.
The BLS data shows that the growth in union membership came via workers of color. There were 231,000 workers of color who unionized in the last year, while the number of white unionized workers decreased by 31,000. Out of all the racial and ethnic groups, Black workers continue to lead the unionization rate, standing at 12.8%. The data also confirms the increase in union activity and organizing witnessed during the last year. While only 11% of the total share of workers are unionized, the 53% increase in union election petitions filed within the last year offers hope. According to the BLS data, the industries that reported the strongest increase in unionization were state governments, durable goods manufacturers, arts & entertainment, recreation, and transportation and warehousing. The diversity of the current labor movement can also be seen in the list of states that saw the most rise in unionization: California, Texas, Ohio, Maryland, and Alabama.
Lastly, Chipotle has agreed to pay $240,000 in backpay to 24 former employees of their location in Augusta, Maine as part of a settlement for closing the restaurant in response to workers’ unionization efforts. The employees at the Augusta location filed a petition to unionize under Chipotle United last June and less than a month later Chipotle closed the restaurant, blaming staffing issues. In November, the NLRB found that the company’s actions—most notably closing the restaurant and stopping workers from being hired at other locations in the state— violated federal labor law. Despite the settlement, Chipotle denies any wrongdoing and emphasized that it chose to settle the case to avoid the greater financial and time cost of litigation. Additionally, the company will not be reopening the closed location but has agreed to keep a preferential hiring list for affected workers for one year. Following the settlement, about 40 stores across Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts will post notices that say the stores will not close and employers will not discriminate against employees for their unionization efforts.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
April 24
NLRB seeks to compel Amazon to collectively bargain with San Francisco warehouse workers, DoorDash delivery workers and members of Los Deliveristas Unidos rally for pay transparency, and NLRB takes step to drop lawsuit against SpaceX over the firing of employees who criticized Elon Musk.
April 22
DOGE staffers eye NLRB for potential reorganization; attacks on federal workforce impact Trump-supporting areas; Utah governor acknowledges backlash to public-sector union ban
April 21
Bryan Johnson’s ULP saga before the NLRB continues; top law firms opt to appease the EEOC in its anti-DEI demands.
April 20
In today’s news and commentary, the Supreme Court rules for Cornell employees in an ERISA suit, the Sixth Circuit addresses whether the EFAA applies to a sexual harassment claim, and DOGE gains access to sensitive labor data on immigrants. On Thursday, the Supreme Court made it easier for employees to bring ERISA suits when their […]
April 18
Two major New York City unions endorse Cuomo for mayor; Committee on Education and the Workforce requests an investigation into a major healthcare union’s spending; Unions launch a national pro bono legal network for federal workers.
April 17
Utahns sign a petition supporting referendum to repeal law prohibiting public sector collective bargaining; the US District Court for the District of Columbia declines to dismiss claims filed by the AFL-CIO against several government agencies; and the DOGE faces reports that staffers of the agency accessed the NLRB’s sensitive case files.