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3w ago

Dozens of Democrats Boycott Six D.C. Restaurants over Union-Busting Claims

Owners reject union-busting claims, warning that the boycott could cut workers’ wages, hours, tips.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined a call to boycott Le Diplomate and five other D.C. restaurants over labor disputes. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images and Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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Overview

  • More than 50 House and Senate Democrats, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, signed Unite Here Local 25’s pledge to avoid six high-profile Washington restaurants.
  • The boycott covers Le Diplomate, Osteria Mozza, The Occidental, Rasika, Modena and Bombay Club, owned by restaurateurs Stephen Starr and Ashok Bajaj.
  • Unite Here Local 25 represents roughly 7,000 hospitality workers in D.C., Maryland and Virginia and says the restaurants have engaged in months of union-busting.
  • STARR Restaurants and Knightsbridge Restaurant Group deny the allegations and argue that the boycott risks reducing employee hours, tips and overall pay.
  • Some servers and staffers at the targeted venues have held counter-protests, accusing the union of using heavy-handed tactics without elections scheduled.