WHEATON-GLENMONT, Md. — With Memorial Day weekend around the corner, workers at a popular Filipino fast-food restaurant in Maryland are demanding better pay during holidays.
Community members in support rallied outside the Jollibee in Wheaton, the only Maryland site, on Wednesday to demand management listen to crew members. They first raised concerns in January, but amplified their request for double pay when working holidays in celebration of International Worker’s Day.
In a letter sent to management, workers said they’re owed double time pay and more and see this as a solution to management in filling undesirable shifts.
The group Justice 4 Jollibee Workers claimed management was conducting one-on-one interviews with the crew to investigate who wrote the petition letter instead of providing an adequate response.
“Jollibee has been a symbol of home for Filipinos living abroad," the letter read. "Jollibee claims to promote family, and those values should extend to ensure employees who work holidays and have their own families to think of, receive fair compensation. We ask that our community amplify our demand and support the makers of your all-time favorite Jollibee food. The lack of holiday pay is a disregard of the family values at the core of Jollibee’s Filipino roots, and of the company's supposed 'values' by being expected to work holidays with no consideration of the workers time and efforts away from their families."
WUSA9 reached out to Jollibee for comment, but had not heard back by the time of publication.
Since the Wheaton location first opened in 2021, more stores opened in the D.C. region.
“If they're able to invest all this money to open more locations, then they can definitely invest in their workers to get paid more,” Pat Macatangga said. “If we love Jollibee as much as the community does, we should also love the workers and support their demands.”
Jollibee is the largest and fastest growing Asian restaurant company in the world, according to its website. It has 100 locations in North America and 1,500 stores worldwide. Jollibee Foods Corporation earned over $4.2 billion in revenue in 2023, a jump of 15% from the year before.
The campaign for better holiday pay comes after workers in New Jersey won reinstatement, $84,600 in back pay and a public apology in November. Justice 4 Jollibee Workers said the nine employees were illegally terminated months prior for petitioning for a $3 pay raise, improved working conditions, and double pay on holidays.
There are about 70,000 Filipinos in the D.C. region, according to the U.S. Filipinos for Good Governance.
“Living here in Montgomery County, I think the workers of Jollibee, especially in the Washington area, should get fair benefits including vacation pay,” Eric Lachica of U.S. Filipinos of Good Governance told WUSA9. “Being upfront and assertive here in the United States are what it takes to be successful.”
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