To: Hugo Uys and Monette de Bottom
Support Courageous Workers and Stop Union-Busting at Bröd Kitchen (formerly Hot & Crusty)
A restaurant is only as good as its labor practices. Bröd Kitchen owners Hugo Uys and Monette de Botton: Stop the union busting. Reinstate fired union leaders, respect workers rights, and return to the negotiating table in good faith!
Why is this important?
In 2012, the workers at Bröd Kitchen (formerly Hot & Crusty) on Manhattan's Upper East Side fought and won a historic campaign for fair and decent working conditions. In January 2016, on the eve of contract renegotiation, Bröd owners suddenly announced that they planned to close the location and fire all 19 union employees. These workers fought hard to keep the restaurant open in 2012 and 2014; their labor has grown the business and enabled Bröd to expand to West 4th St; and they deserve to keep their jobs and their contract! Defend The Hot and Crusty Workers Association!
In an act of retaliation, and less than 24 hours after 200+ supporters rallied in support of workers at Bröd Kitchen (formerly Hot and Crusty), owner Hugo Uys fired the Hot and Crusty Workers Association President Mahoma Lopez, and worker leader Marcelino Cano. This is the latest in a series of attacks by Bröd Kitchen on the rights of working people. For months, after opening a new location, Bröd Kitchen has threatened employees to avoid bargaining with the Union.
We demand the immediate reinstatement of Mahoma and Marcellino, and an end to all retaliation and intimidation of Bröd workers!
We demand the company respect the union contract, and return to the negotiating table in good faith!
The courageous struggle of the Bröd Kitchen/ Hot & Crusty workers was organized by Laundry Workers Center and documented in the award-winning documentary The Hand That Feeds. To see short videos of the people affected by this petition and learn more, please visit http://lwcu.org/campaigns/hot-crusty-workers-association/ and http://thehandthatfeedsfilm.com/.