As profitability sharply fell for companies during COVID lockdowns, employers increased pressure on their workers in order to control labor costs. Only through the collective efforts of the working class can we build a stronger union movement that can reverse the losses we sustained during the pandemic and gain new ground.

We will address both matters, starting in the area of individual employment contracts and then moving to the area of collective bargaining agreements. We approach these topics not as legal experts, but as organizers surveying a judicial terrain that is in its essence arranged against the interests of workers.

Even though the bosses would like us to believe otherwise, undocumented workers are protected by the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, and other federal and state laws. We must make use of these rights and not let intimidation by the bosses prevent us from organizing towards a better future for all restaurant workers.