![]() Target!" came the shout in response, followed by cheers and applause. "Real loud on three, so they can hear it all the way over by Sears," Hirth called out. Like any good huddle, it ended with the team members bringing in their hands, stacked on top of each other. "I hope you guys had a great day with your family, that you have some good food in you, because we will be running that off in about 10 minutes."ĭetails came next ? how to find out break and lunch schedules, what sales start when, who to call for help in different departments. ![]() So thank you guys for coming in," Hirth told his team. They stood in red tops and khaki pants, making sure maps and ads were ready, name tags were on straight and everyone was clocked in. "So I don't know if you noticed when you came in, but we have a couple of friends outside that want to come in and play with us," store team leader Jeff Hirth joked to his staff.Ībout 15 minutes before the doors opened, he and 200 other employees gathered in a huddle for a quick meeting. Outside, hundreds of shoppers had waited hours, bundled in blankets, hoodies and coats to get deals on everything from televisions to toys. Like several shops in the Ventura mall and dozens countywide, Target was getting a few hours head start on the whirlwind of Black Friday. ? an hour before the doors were set to open on one of the busiest nights of the year. The shelves were full, and aisles were clean and empty. Red shopping carts were lined up in neat rows inside the Target store at Pacific View mall Thursday. El Milagro downplayed Arise’s role, saying the changes were in the works before the group allied with workers.Live updates from the shopping front lines Labor victories included better wages, air conditioning in break rooms, anti-sexual harassment trainings, and scheduling improvements. They claim they’ve helped workers secure wins after six months of negotiations. Machines were allegedly sped up to produce more tortillas and the manic pace led to employee exhaustion and injury.Īrise has taken an interest in the Spanish speakers at El Milagro, many of them vulnerable to predatory employers - El Milagro in August 2022, according to the complaint, threatened the use of an immigration attorney if workers complained. Employees were expected to work nonstop and weren’t allowed to take lunch breaks. Workers, now allied with Arise Chicago - a faith-based workers' rights center that’s been busy organizing within the restaurant sector - were locked out after protesting harsh conditions including ones that led to a COVID breakout. The battle between El Milagro, one of the city’s most popular tortilla makers, and workers went public in September 2021. Thursday’s announcement could put to bed a two-year battle between pro-labor activists and the tortilleria. The notices will be read before each shift, according to Arise. A few things have been made public including the fact that El Milagro will now post signs - in English and Spanish - reiterating the workers’ federally protected right to form a union. Most of the terms of the settlement remain under wraps. This policy reflects our values and commitment to continuous improvement in the workplace.” Our company has an open-door policy to address any employee concerns and we act accordingly. “El Milagro has always complied with the law and will continue to do so. They sent a statement to media outlets on Wednesday that reiterated their position: However, El Milagro has maintained its innocence. Local NLRB officials found merit in workers’ claims of union busting which triggered a court date. The matter was set to go to court, but the settlement averts a trial. On Thursday morning, workers from El Milagro at a 40-minute press conference announced they had reached a settlement after a complaint was filed in March with the National Labor Relations Board claiming El Milagro management threatened to close the plant or take away vacation days if they continued organizing. ![]() ![]() ![]() Outside city hall, pro-labor activists have kept busy. Another ordinance introduced on Wednesday would increase paid leave. For example, with an ordinance introduced this week to the city council, Mayor Brandon Johnson seems perched to follow through on a campaign promise in abolishing the sub-minimum wage which allows restaurant owners to depend on tips to pay their employees. But the spotlight has shined even brighter in recent times. Improving worker conditions in restaurants has always been a hot topic in Chicago, which isn’t surprising given the city’s role as the birthplace of the modern labor movement. ![]()
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