Almost 200 Tartine Bakery workers participated in a pair of union elections held in the Bay Area on March 12 and 13, where a majority signaled support for the ILWU.
Targeted by union-busters The largest group of workers at three San Francisco bakery locations were targeted by management who deployed professional union busters that forced employees into mandatory captive-audience meetings over a period of four weeks prior to the March 12 vote. A separate group of 18 Tartine Bakery workers in Berkeley had no contact with anti-union consultants and voted unanimously for the union.
Company pads voter rolls
The ballot count at those locations showed workers prevailing for the union by 89 to 85, but two-dozen ballots had to be challenged and have yet to be tallied. About two-thirds of the challenged ballots appear to involve improprieties – either because they were cast by supervisors or by newly-hired employees who had never worked a full shift. Federal law prohibits either group from voting.
NLRB will decide
A hearing will be conducted by the National Labor Relations Board, to review each of the two-dozen challenged ballots, relying on facts and evidence to make a final decision.
Community support remains key
A few days after the elections, Tartine management announced widespread layoffs at all four Bay Area locations. Within days, union supporters organized a “Go Fund Me” site https://www.gofundme.com/f/Tartine- union-hardship-fund where community members are responding generously to help Tartine workers.
Artists help campaign
Two renowned Bay Area artists are donating their work to support the fundraising drive. David Solnit has created 100 autographed posters that will be available to the first donors who give $100 or more. Photographer David Bacon is donating a series of signed art photos that will be auctioned online to honor the workers’ union drive and the community support effort.
Tartine goes corporate
The original Tartine Bakery on 18th and Guerrero Street in San Francisco became a sensation when it opened years ago, triggering long lines of loyal patrons who loved the artisan bread and pastries. In recent years,
Tartine became more corporate, opening a chain of outlets overseas and in Los Angeles where Tartine Bianca closed last December 19, after losing large sums of money. Bay Area workers say they need a union to negotiate fairly with the Tartine’s corporate culture. One of Tartine’s bakeries, at San Francisco’s International Airport, already is represented by a union.
