WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Many restaurant workers at Rasika Penn Quarter in Northwest D.C. are joining the chorus of workers across the District trying to unionize.
About 60 people joined a picket line outside the restaurant Thursday night, holding signs that said “Rasika violates labor laws.” Workers want to unionize, but they say the owner is blocking them from doing so.
In the last week, five popular restaurants in D.C. have made efforts to unionize.
“So that they treat us better, so they give them just pay, so they don’t discriminate and they don’t treat [us] like animals because inside they do that,” said Halis Rodriguez through the help of a translator with UNITE HERE Local 25.
Rodriguez worked for Rasika Penn Quarter for nine years as a busser, polisher and cleaner. She said the owner discovered she was fighting for a union and had a meeting with her.
“He sat her at a table and was like how much do you want, to name every single person who was part of the organization, the union effort,” said Amanda Gomez, translating for Rodriguez.
She told him she didn’t know what he was talking about and in the following week, her hours were cut. Two weeks ago she was fired.
“That really surprised her and that is why she is out here today to fight for the colleagues who are still here because it was very unjust what happened,” Gomez said, translating for Rodriguez.
Knightsbridge Restaurant Group owns both Rasika Penn Quarter and Modena.
The union UNITE HERE Local 25 said last week, majorities of workers at both restaurants called on the group to voluntarily recognize their union.
UNITE HERE Local 25 said Knightsbridge has illegally fired multiple union supporters, as well as interrogated, bullied and threatened them.
In a statement, a Knightsbridge Restaurant Group spokesperson said, “The majority of our employees have not expressed any desire to be represented by the union. Instead of recognizing that choice, the union has resorted to incessant harassment of our associates and engaged in an unlawful smear campaign to tarnish the reputation we have built over 36 years. We will not give into the union’s tactics at the expense of our employees’ democratic right to choose whether they want to be represented by a union. We will always treat our employees with respect, dignity, and appreciation.”
UNITE HERE Local 25 has filed unfair labor practice charges against Knightsbridge with the National Labor Relations Board.
