Harper Freeman at The Chief reports that workers at Breads Bakery’s in theiter flagship location in NYC Union Square in late December, told management they plan to unionize.
Gadi Peleg, the owner of the Bakery, was first smiling at a video session but when told by staff that they intended to be part of U. for just a moment, smiling. But seconds AW Local 2179, Ms. Peleg’s face turned white.
The face of the owner of one of the City’s most famous Bakeries drops as the current and ‘s former Employees behind the camera inform him that, after more than a year of organizing, they are Unionizing with United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2179.
One of the Workers behind the camera, named Leah, who declined to provide a last name, told The Chief the Organizing Campaign, that has so far resulted in over 30% of the Workers signing Union Authorization Cards, started over two years ago.
“The more we talk to and get to know each other as Workers, the more you realize the same structural things are impacting all of us, and that the only way we can change those is by collectivizing and by demanding this stuff together,” Leah said. “Our demands come from over a year of conversation with each other.” Workers in the Breaking Breads Union told The Chief those demands include higher pay in a Bakery where many Workers make minimum wage, improved safety protections, clearer paths to promotion, guaranteed hours and more.
“Coming in making minimum wage for a corporation that generates this much profit for its owners and for upper management is pretty abhorrent, especially in a City like New York where the cost of living is so unbelievably high,” said a Breads Bakery Cashier who declined to provide their name, fearing retaliation.
Since the Union Campaign went public, much of the attention on social media and in news outlets has focused on the Union’s demands for the store’s Israeli owners to halt their financial support for Israel. But workers and Will Bobrowski, the First Vice President of Local 2179, insist Unionization was spurred by the day-to-day workplace issues. “The workplace issues are the front-line issue,” he said.
