https://twitter.com/intent/tweet/complete?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsocialistaction.org%2Fvictory-to-nyc-restaurant-workers%2F&via=SocialistActUS&text=Victory%20to%20NYC%20restaurant%20workers%21&latest_status_id=702146672776847361
Victory to NYC restaurant workers!
Published February 22, 2016. | By Socialist Action.
Feb. 2016 Brod
By MARTY GOODMAN
NEW YORK—Braving union-busting layoffs and retribution, workers at Brod
Kitchen (formerly Hot and Crusty), located on 63rd St. in the wealthy
Upper East Side of Manhattan, are fighting to save their union and their
jobs.
On Jan. 14, the Hot and Crusty Workers Association, a mostly Hispanic
immigrant workforce of 19, entered into negotiations for a new contract.
The management of the renamed Brod Kitchen told union reps that Brod
would shut its doors the next day, giving lack of funds as the excuse.
Later, the layoff threat was extended to 30 days.
A spirited solidarity rally of up to 200 unionists and activists was
held Jan. 29 at Brod’s new non-union Greenwich Village location. A day
later, the uptown Brod laid off union President Mahoma Lopez and union
activist Marcelino Cano. A second rally on short notice attracted
dozens. Then a third worker, Layla Mejilla was fired.
The new downtown Brod location is across the street from the New York
University campus, a high-rent area. While the Village café is not
formally owned by Hugo Uys, the South African TV chef who owns the 63rd
St. location, the uptown workers report that employees have been sent to
work there and that an interchange of management personnel exists.
Moreover, Brod is spreading lies against the union by posting a claim in
its Village location window that the union is “stealing our jobs.”
Signers of the so-called appeal of Brod workers includes the Brod
restaurant supervisor! Brod is using the non-union restaurant as a club
to bust the union.
The Hot and Crusty Workers Association was born in 2013 as the result of
a 55-day struggle to stop layoffs and win a pace-setting contract for
restaurant workers, especially immigrant workers. The workers were
organized by the Laundry Workers Center (LWC), an independent,
democratically run organization (www.lwcu.org).
Their inspiring fight was captured in the award-winning film, “The Hand
that Feeds,” by Rachel Lears and Robin Blotnick
(http://thehandthatfeedsfilm.com).
New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates
the historic Grand Central Station, has approved a proposal for a
high-end restaurant operated by restaurateur Claus Meyer. According to
the MTA, Meyer is working with a group of investors represented by Brod
Kitchen owner Hugo Uys, who orchestrated the deal. It is set to open in
2016. Is Brod Kitchen too broke to give workers a contract? Hardly!
Recently, immigrant workers won another unionizing victory at B&H, a
camera and electronics superstore on 34th St. in Manhattan. B&H
warehouse workers, mostly immigrant Hispanics, faced racism, abusive
conditions, and long workweeks. On Nov. 4, by a vote of 200 to 88, B&H
warehouse workers won unionization with the United Steel Workers, in
another hard-won organizing effort spearheaded by the LWC.
Like the Hot and Crusty struggle, B&H solidarity was built with rallies
that include the mobilization of the workers themselves, a departure
from union rallies organized by bureaucrats.
The struggle against union busting at Brod Kitchen needs support from
New York City unions, community, and student groups. So far, transit
workers, teachers, domestic workers and campus workers have joined the
picket lines. But, unions need to mobilize the ranks. As a speaker from
Domestic Workers United said at the end of the picket on Jan. 28, “My
struggle is their struggle. Their struggle is my struggle.”
Keep the pressure on! Rehire the fired union workers! Contract now!
Union-busting is disgusting!
Photo: Marty Goodman / Socialist Action
Share this:
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Tumblr
Related
Big May Day Turnout in New York City
May 10, 2012
In "Actions & Protest"
A fury of activity at Occupy Wall Street
November 20, 2011
In "Actions & Protest"
Budget Crisis in New York
January 8, 2009
In "Economy"
Posted in Labor, New York. | Tagged Brod, Hot and Crusty, restaurants,
unions.
Get Involved
Join Socialist Action
Donate to help support our work
Get email updates
Events
Subscribe to Our Newspaper
JAN. 2014 p.1 jpegJAN. 2014 p. 12
Subscribe Today
Subscriptions to the monthly print edition of Socialist Action are
available for the following rates:
- 12 month subscription for $20
- 24 month subscription for $37
- 6 month subscription for $10
Learn More
Email Updates
Enter your email address to subscribe to our free e-mail Socialist
Action Newsletter. Also to receive notifcations of new web posts by email.
Learn More
Newspaper Archives
Newspaper Archives Select Month February 2016 (7) January 2016 (11)
December 2015 (11) November 2015 (9) October 2015 (8) September 2015
(10) August 2015 (7) July 2015 (13) June 2015 (9) May 2015 (10)
April 2015 (12) March 2015 (9) February 2015 (11) January 2015 (10)
December 2014 (12) November 2014 (11) October 2014 (9) September
2014 (6) August 2014 (10) July 2014 (11) June 2014 (10) May 2014
(11) April 2014 (10) March 2014 (9) February 2014 (11) January 2014
(11) December 2013 (10) November 2013 (11) October 2013 (17) September
2013 (13) August 2013 (10) July 2013 (11) June 2013 (15) May 2013
(14) April 2013 (14) March 2013 (12) February 2013 (10) January 2013
(17) December 2012 (7) November 2012 (8) October 2012 (19) September
2012 (2) August 2012 (27) July 2012 (18) June 2012 (3) May 2012
(19) April 2012 (14) March 2012 (17) February 2012 (19) January 2012
(17) December 2011 (3) November 2011 (33) October 2011 (14) September
2011 (13) August 2011 (34) July 2011 (24) June 2011 (19) May 2011
(19) April 2011 (15) March 2011 (15) February 2011 (16) January 2011
(15) December 2010 (17) November 2010 (1) October 2010 (6) September
2010 (3) August 2010 (8) July 2010 (7) June 2010 (2) May 2010 (9)
April 2010 (3) March 2010 (8) February 2010 (3) January 2010 (9)
December 2009 (6) November 2009 (5) October 2009 (16) September 2009
(3) August 2009 (2) July 2009 (5) June 2009 (2) May 2009 (7) April
2009 (6) March 2009 (16) February 2009 (9) January 2009 (10)
December 2008 (11) November 2008 (8) October 2008 (16) September
2008 (14) August 2008 (18) July 2008 (12) June 2008 (3) May 2008
(2) April 2008 (3) March 2008 (14) February 2008 (11) January 2008
(11) December 2007 (8) November 2007 (1) July 2007 (1) June 2007 (1)
April 2007 (1) March 2007 (1) February 2007 (3) December 2006 (11)
November 2006 (11) October 2006 (13) September 2006 (15) August 2006
(11) July 2006 (12) June 2006 (7) May 2006 (14) April 2006 (6) March
2006 (14) February 2006 (5) January 2006 (2) December 2005 (9)
November 2005 (8) October 2005 (13) September 2005 (12) August 2005
(9) July 2005 (16) June 2005 (16) May 2005 (16) April 2005 (12) March
2005 (14) February 2005 (19) January 2005 (15) December 2004 (14)
November 2002 (17) October 2002 (19) September 2002 (22) August 2002
(21) July 2002 (15) May 2002 (21) April 2002 (21) February 2002 (15)
January 2002 (15) December 2001 (17) October 2001 (24) September 2001
(18) July 2001 (19) June 2001 (18) October 2000 (17) September 2000
(21) August 2000 (19) July 2000 (16) June 2000 (26) May 2000 (21)
April 2000 (22) March 2000 (28) February 2000 (18) January 2000 (20)
December 1999 (20) November 1999 (26) October 1999 (25) September
1999 (18) August 1999 (40) July 1999 (38) June 1999 (24) May 1999
(27) April 1999 (25) March 1999 (26) February 1999 (29) January 1999
(24) July 1998 (12) 0 (2)
Learn More
Pamphlets/Books
Socialist Action publishes a wide variety of pamphlets on burning issues
of today such as global warming, women’s liberation, the Middle East and
other subjects.
Learn More
Socialist Action (U.S.): socialistaction@xxxxxxx | (510) 268-9429
Socialist Action / Ligue pour l’Action socialiste (Canada):
barryaw@xxxxxxxxxx
Copyright © 2016 Socialist Action. All Rights Reserved. Site Design by
Lucid Digital Designs | Site Utilities
