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Support Homegrown sandwich workers June 16 in Seattle

UPDATE — Location change for Thursday’s protest!

SEATTLE — Sandwich workers at Homegrown, makers of Molly’s, Tosti, Shine, and Bolt products, want a fair process to join together in a union. But their employer has refused to respond to their request.

TAKE A STAND — UNITE HERE Local 8 invites all union members and community supporters to join them on Thursday, June 16 at 5 p.m. at Virginia Mason Medical Center (925 Seneca St. in Seattle) at the Capitol Hill Homegrown at Melrose market (1531 Melrose Ave)  where Homegrown sandwiches are sold, and support the sandwich workers by asking customers not to buy Homegrown sandwiches.

One week ago, workers from Homegrown sandwich cafes and Homegrown’s wholesale production and distribution facilities delivered a majority petition calling on Homegrown to agree to a fair and quick process to decide whether to form a union without threats or intimidation. On Monday, Homegrown sent a communication only to the café workers, offering them a raise but refusing to acknowledge their request for a fair process to decide whether to form a union together with the workers who produce and distribute Homegrown’s wholesale product.

Homegrown operates 10 cafes across the Seattle area. The wholesale products, marketed under the brands Molly’s, Tosti, Bolt and Shine, are sold at dozens of independent cafes and also at institutional cafeterias in hospitals and universities.

Workers have started reaching out to customers at cafes and at the places where the wholesale sandwiches are sold, asking customers not to buy Molly’s, Tosti, Shine or Bolt products until Homegrown respects the workers’ decision.

So on June 16, workers will be picketing Homegrown products at Virginia Mason Medical Center and asking customers not to buy Homegrown products. Show your solidarity by joining them. RSVP on the Facebook event page.

UNITE HERE Local 8 represents about 5,000 workers in the hospitality industries of Oregon & Washington State. Local 8 members work in hotels, restaurants, food service, and airport concessions. They include room cleaners, cooks, bartenders, bellmen, food and beverage servers, bussers, and dishwashers. Local 8′s parent union, UNITE HERE, represents hotel, food service, and gaming workers throughout the US and Canada. Learn more at UNITEHERE8.org.

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