Homegrown workers hold press conference to condemn union busting from CEO

Seattle, WA – On the afternoon July 25, workers at Homegrown Sustainable Sandwiches held a press conference outside Homegrown/Artisan Premades headquarters to condemn CEO Brad Gillis’ sudden announcement that he intends to close ten of the 12 Homegrown restaurants on September 15, putting over 150 people out of work.

Gillis’ announcement comes just three months after workers, members of Unite Here Local 8, ratified their first union contract, following a militant two year contract campaign. During the event, workers at various Homegrown locations came forward to give statements to the press that had gathered. Many of them expressed devastation, as well as shock, at the closures and how they received the news.

“We’re in shock. Completely out of nowhere, we saw there was a notice put up on the government website WARN, which legally requires employers to notify people 60 days in advance of layoffs, and that was how we found out. We’re going to call it what it is, which is union busting,” said Zane Smith, a worker at the Redmond Homegrown.

Other workers reflected on their contract campaign and the benefits and protections they had won, which had made their campaign an inspiration to workers across the country.

“I’m heartbroken.” said Sydney Lankford, who also works at the Redmond Homegrown. “In October I was illegally fired by this company for speaking in a union delegation. My coworkers and I went on strike, and we won. We won my reinstatement, and then we won this kickass contract – for ourselves, and for other food service workers.”

“Brad Gillis never came to us, he never came to our union to talk this over or bring alternatives. Brad didn’t make a business decision; he made a decision to not give workers livable wages – he is a union buster,” Lankford continued.

Zane Smith, who fought alongside Lankford and their coworkers and the Redmond Homegrown, was next to make remarks. “It’s important for us to be out here today because food service workers in Seattle, and the US, have looked to our campaign, they’ve looked to what we’ve won in terms of heat pay and our historic first contract, but also because bosses are looking to Brad right now. Workers in this country are rising up, organization is on an upswing right now over the last five years, and bosses are looking for ways to kill the momentum that workers have.”

“Brad may think that he’s won by shutting down our union, by firing 158 people who now have to find healthcare, pay rent, and find ways to feed their kids elsewhere, but he has not. 150 people are going to go to their next job knowing that when workers stand up, we can win, and knowing that the fight is worth it,” said Smith.

Homegrown workers say they will continue to fight against union busting and for severance, as well as the protection of as many jobs as possible.

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