Amy’s Kitchen built its brand as a supplier of organic and healthy prepared foods by preaching “goodness.” The company is now being criticized after workers at one of its plants accused it of ill-treatment, including inadequate breaks, lack of drinking water and managers preventing people from using the bathroom.
Amy’s Kitchen co-founder Andy Berliner denied the allegations in an Instagram post in March, noting that the company offers several water stations on the floor and scheduled breaks for the bathroom, in addition to allowing workers take breaks when they need them. But the allegations have led some grocery stores to abandon the brand, such as Mandela Grocery, based in Oakland, California, while some consumers also promise to boycott it.
The allegations were detailed in a complaint to the California Occupational Health and Safety Administration (Cal / OSHA) and shared with CBS MoneyWatch by a union that works with Amy’s Kitchen workers.
In a statement to CBS MoneyWatch, Amy’s Kitchen said the complaint “is full of lies.” He also said that Cal / OSHA told the company that it did not know that a complaint had been filed against Amy’s Kitchen. Cal / OSHA did not immediately return a request for comment.
The reaction facing Amy’s Kitchen comes when more American workers are pushing for better treatment, benefits and pay. But to some it may seem incongruous that a well-known brand for making organic bean burritos and macaroni and gluten-free cheese, as well as its commitments to use non-GMO ingredients and offer on-site employee health centers, is accused of abuse. its employees.
“It is not uncommon for workers to experience back pain and chronic injuries, limb loss and other chronic injuries as a result of unsafe working conditions,” the complaint alleges. “Workers are often sent to the on-site clinic after serious injuries, only to be told to return to work without sufficient recovery time.”
“Without immediate action, workers will continue to be injured and / or possibly killed,” the complaint said.
The complaint was written by Tony Delorio, Chief Officer of Teamsters Local Union No. 665, on behalf of Amy’s Kitchen worker Cecilia Luna, who works at the company’s plant in Santa Rosa, California. Delori mentioned in the document that workers are not unionized but that there is an “active organizing campaign” with Teamsters Local 665.
“I have told all our employees that they have called for unionization to be their choice, whether yes or no,” he wrote in the Instagram post. “And what was absolutely clear is that our employees are not calling for boycotts and are in fact sad and frightened by this negative union-led campaign.”
10-12 burritos per minute
The complaint alleges that Amy’s kitchen workers are being pushed to work at speeds that could result in injury, with burritos line workers expecting to make between 10 and 12 burritos per minute. He also alleges that due to lack of staff, workers who normally assemble 66 plates per minute are sometimes expected to assemble up to 72 plates per minute.
“Despite the fast pace and high quotas, workers do not have adequate breaks or opportunities to change jobs within the lines to avoid repetitive motion injuries,” the complaint states. “Workers are often not allowed to use the bathroom; managers say the speed of the line would be affected when someone had to leave to use the bathroom.”
Amy’s Kitchen Senior Director of Sustainability Paul Schiefer said in a statement from the company that its Santa Rosa facility, which employs about 500 workers, “recently set a safety record of two. times better than the industry average “.
Schiefer added that Amy’s Kitchen is aware of the unions’ interest in organizing the plant, but that the company prefers to “maintain a direct relationship with our employees, many of whom have worked at Amy’s for more than two decades.”
In the meantime, some customers are pledging to boycott the brand, at least until the issue is resolved.
“We love your products, but until you can provide your employees with safe working conditions, we will boycott and share it with family and friends,” one consumer wrote in response to Berliner’s Instagram post. “What a disappointment.”
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