In an ugly exposure of racism in the restaurant chain Applebee’s, which promotes itself as featuring casual dining and an American mainstream menu, the NLRB recently issued a ruling after a worker was fired for attempting to organize his coworkers against discriminatory pay. Justin Onwenu, who worked as a server at its South Bronx location, noticed the difference in pay between workers of color and white workers. He and his fellow workers, mostly Black, were being paid $10/hr, while White workers at the Midtown Manhattan locations were receiving $15/hr. While Midtown locations gave customers the option of leaving 18% tips on their checks, no such option was included in the Bronx. The NLRB reached a settlement in May with Apple-Metro, the owners of several Applebee’s across New York City, parts of which included informing workers of their right to organize without fear of retaliation.
Read the full story by Crystal Lewis for The Chief, published June 22, 2025, here: https://thechiefleader.com/stories/nlrb-upholds-fired-applebees-workers-right-to-organize,54625?
