California Fast Food Workers Union
MEDIA ADVISORY FOR: February 9, 2026
Contact: Carina Pacheco, carina.pacheco@berlinrosen.com
Workers at ‘Nightmare’ Sacramento Taco Bell to Strike, Protest Racist Harassment, Physical Violence
Cooks, cashiers demand Taco Bell take action against manager who harasses Latino workers, insults Latino customers
Workers to file complaint with California Civil Rights Department alleging sexual harassment, discrimination
In CalOSHA complaint, workers call out racist insults, physical attacks, rats, roaches in the kitchen
SACRAMENTO – Cooks and cashiers at Taco Bell in El Dorado Hills will go on strike Monday afternoon to protest ongoing verbal racist abuse and physical violence on the job.
At an afternoon rally, striking workers will demand Taco Bell take steps to protect them from violence and abuse. In a complaint to CalOSHA, workers describe how one manager at the El Dorado location consistently harasses Latino workers through angry insults and violent outbursts, including an instance when he punched a wall next to a worker.
“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*ckers’ and ‘f*cking Mexicans’; and making racist statements when he sees Latino customers who do not speak English,” workers describe in the complaint.
Represented by Legal Aid at Work, the Taco Bell workers will also file a formal complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, which will include claims of racial and gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and a hostile work environment. Striking workers will call on the California Fast Food Council to reconvene and resume its important work of investigating and creating standards to address abuses and other violations of labor and employment law across the state’s fast-food industry.
Beyond discrimination and harassment, Taco Bell workers also report major food safety issues, including rats and rodents in the kitchen and lobby. Further, workers say the Taco Bell location has served rotten or undercooked food to customers. Cooks and cashiers describe a “nightmare” working environment that threatens the health and safety of workers and customers alike.
EVENT DETAILS
WHO: Taco Bell cooks and cashiers, Attorneys with Legal Aid at Work
WHAT: Strike to demand an end to ongoing racist harassment and physical violence
WHEN: Monday, February 9, 2026 at 3pm PT
WHERE: Taco Bell, 3967 Park Dr, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
California Fast-Food Workers Fight for Stronger Protections
With more than 630,000 workers across approximately 48,000 locations, California’s fast-food industry stands out as one of the state’s largest, fastest growing low-wage sectors. California’s fast-food workers are nearly 80 percent people of color, more than 60 percent are Latino/Latina and two-thirds are women. The industry employs the second largest group of low-wage workers in the state.
Meanwhile, California’s fast-food industry is defined by its “race to the bottom” business model in which stores operate under tight margins at the expense of worker safety, pay, training, scheduling, staffing and more.
Legal Aid at Work partners with people to help them understand and assert their workplace rights. We also advocate for employment laws and systems that empower low-paid workers and marginalized communities.
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