Bring Syd back! Homegrown workers strike over unfair firing

Join picket line Nov. 17 for Union and Community Solidarity Day

The following is from UNITE HERE Local 8:

REDMOND, Wash. (Nov. 10, 2023) — Union workers at Redmond’s Homegrown sandwich shop have been on strike since Monday, Oct. 30 in protest of the firing of coworker Sydney Lankford, a longtime union leader. Striking workers are demanding Homegrown #BringSydBack.

Workers at Homegrown organized, filed for and won an NLRB election in 2022, and have been in contract negotiations with the company since the beginning of the year.

Sydney spoke up at a union delegation to management and was fired the next week.

TAKE A STAND — Homegrown workers need your support at their picket line! Join them at a Union and Community Solidarity Day on Friday, Nov. 17 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Redmond Homegrown, 7841 Leary Way. Please RSVP here and choose Nov. 17. And follow them at @OurUnionisHG #BringSydBack.

The reasons given by the company for firing Sydney were: 1) that she was loud and aggressive toward a supervisor while explaining why he was a bad manager; and 2) that she did not follow a new policy about when employees may take their breaks.

The union says Homegrown implemented the enforcement of the break time policy without being notified and being given a chance to bargain about the change and refused to meet with union to bargain over discipline and termination.

“It’s wild that they fired someone so central to the everyday operation of the store,” said striking Redmond Homegrown worker Kaden Mcallister. “Sydney needs to be reinstated immediately. She’s a natural lead and takes on so much responsibility for the store to run as well as it does. We are all standing together to get her back.”

“It’s unfair that I was fired after speaking up as a union member,” said terminated Homegrown worker Sydney Lankford. “But, I’m so proud that all my coworkers at the Redmond store are standing together. I just want to get back to doing my job and helping make the store run.”

Redmond Homegrown workers are committing to continue striking until Homegrown reinstates Sydney with backpay.

“Homegrown workers know an injury to one is an injury to all,” said UNITE HERE Local 8 President Anita Seth. “We are all inspired by how Homegrown workers immediately took action to stand together against the unfair firing of their coworker. We call on Homegrown to rescind Sydney’s termination immediately.”

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.