Employees at a Taco Bell in Northern California stepped off the job this week, launching a two-day strike over what they describe as repeated racial harassment and unsafe working conditions.
According to local station Fox40, the walkout began at 3 p.m. Monday outside the Taco Bell located at 3967 Park Drive in El Dorado Hills. Cooks and cashiers gathered along the sidewalk with signs stating the protest was meant to draw attention to allegations involving a store manager.
The workers are represented by the California Fast Food Workers Union, which is affiliated with the Service Employees International Union, along with attorneys from Legal Aid at Work. According to the union and legal representatives, employees have filed a complaint with Cal/OSHA citing harassment, intimidation, and workplace safety concerns.
Two employees, Isabel Borges Ramirez and Gabriela Flores Carpio, both Latina workers who have been employed at the location for more than two years, detailed their allegations in a letter referenced by the union.
“The store manager expresses his anger at us with ongoing verbal racist threats and abuse, including nearly every shift calling both of us stupid, motherf**kers, and f**king Mexicans and making racist statements when he sees Latino customers who do not speak English,” the employees wrote.
The complaint also describes an incident in which the manager allegedly punched a wall near an employee during what workers called a violent outburst. That allegation was included in the filing submitted to Cal/OSHA.
Beyond the claims of verbal abuse, the employees allege they attempted to report the behavior internally but experienced retaliation afterward. Legal Aid at Work attorneys say the workers are preparing to file a formal complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, outlining accusations of racial and gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and a hostile work environment.
The concerns raised during the strike extend past alleged discrimination. Workers also reported food-safety issues at the Taco Bell location, describing conditions inside the restaurant as a “nightmare.”
According to the union’s advisory, the Cal/OSHA complaint includes allegations of rodents and roaches in the kitchen and lobby areas, as well as claims that undercooked or spoiled food was served to customers.
Attorneys involved in the case noted that Cal/OSHA has the authority to inspect the workplace and determine whether safety violations or retaliation occurred. If the California Civil Rights Department proceeds with an investigation, it would review the discrimination claims separately.
As of this writing, management at the El Dorado Hills Taco Bell had not publicly responded to the allegations. Taco Bell’s corporate office also did not issue a statement.