Chipotle's Penn State Location Closes After Workers Quit Due to Apparent "Sweatshop" Conditions

Your next burrito will come with a side of guilt, if this is true.

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Looks like Chipotle is in a spicy situation, not unlike the hot sauce it pours into its faux authentic Mexican "cuisine." Bloomberg is reporting that the chain had to shut down its Penn State location after employees walked out due to alleged "borderline sweatshop conditions." 

When you think of oppressive workplaces, you don't really think of Chipotle. After all, things don't look so bleak when workers are preparing your barbacoa burrito bowl, and the chain is known for paying a higher wage than the national minimum. Even now, after the walk-out, we still don't exactly know why this happened—the employee protest was not accompanied by a list of the violations committed at the specific location.

For its part, Chipotle put out a statement via a spokesman: "Our Penn State restaurant was closed when a few employees quit, locking out a majority of others who are enthusiastic to return to work."

So, which side's telling the truth here: The supposedly suffering workers? Or the innocent corporation? Our bet is that it's somewhere in the middle, as most things go. For now, the location remains closed, although the chain is confident that it will reopen soon.

Which is good, because college students need them burritos. 

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