Portillo's workers demand management negotiates contract

Portillo’s continues to delay negotiations-workers and supporters demand end to stall tactics.

CHICAGO, Nov. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ —

What: Press conference and public action

When: Friday November 17, 2023 at 12:00 pm

Where: Portillo’s restaurant 520 West Taylor Street, Chicago

Who: Portillo’s workers, Iron Workers Union, Arise Chicago, NDLON, and community supporters

Background- On April 13, 2023, Portillo’s food production warehouse workers in Addison, IL overwhelmingly voted for representation by Iron Workers Local 853. Portillo’s continuously stated both before and after the vote count that they would respect the workers’ decision to unionize and would bargain in good faith. However, instead of honoring the workers’ vote, Portillo’s has utilized stall tactics, including filing a baseless election objection. On July 19, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board found no merit in Portillo’s election objections. This ruling marked a significant step forward in the workers’ unionization process.

However, just under the August 2, 2023, deadline, Portillo’s management has filed an appeal to the July 19^th ruling against them further delaying the NLRB’s official certification of the election results. Workers continue to demand the company cease all stall tactics and adhere to its original promises to respect the workers’ decision and negotiate.

“It is certainly disappointing to see Portillo’s continuing to stall the process and deny the workers their union, especially given the promises management made to respect the workers’ vote,” said Brenda Bedolla, Iron Workers Union, Organizer. “All these workers want is to bargain their first union contract, yet Portillo’s seems intent on using the courts to drag this out as long as possible despite there being no merit in their claims. It’s a shame, really,” she continued.

The Iron Workers Union (IW) represents 130,000 ironworkers in North America who work in construction on bridges; structural steel; ornamental, architectural, clean energy, and miscellaneous metals; rebar; and in fabrication shops.

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