Still ‘hungry for justice’ after year of protests

The Restaurant Opportunities Center-United of Michigan celebrated the first anniversary of its campaign against the Andiamo Restaurant chain Nov. 5 with a rousing picket line.

Andiamo workers say: ‘Cheating workers is a crime, pay your workers overtime!’ WW photo: Bryan G. Pfeifer

Nearly every single Friday during the past year, in sweltering heat and bitter cold, ROC has tirelessly protested outside the Dearborn, Mich., restaurant. A host of labor, community, student and faith organizations are involved in the campaign. Working on many fronts, from organizing to media work, University of Michigan students have played an important role in this struggle.

Highlights of the last year include a historic report by ROC exposing and detailing the Metro Detroit restaurant industry and the widespread low wages, unsafe working conditions and racist and sexist treatment by bosses against workers of color, immigrants and women; the Metro Detroit AFL-CIO coming on board to support the campaign and encouraging their member unions to do the same; and a recently-announced UAW boycott of all Andiamo restaurants in Michigan.

The UAW sent a strong delegation to the anniversary protest, which numbered close to 100. The action also drew supporters from the Service Employees, Machinists, Steel Workers, American Federation of Teachers and other unions, as well as Jobs With Justice, Moratorium NOW! Coalition to Stop Foreclosures, Evictions and Utility Shutoffs, National Lawyers Guild and prominent churches. They carried ROC-Michigan’s trademark signs — “Hungry for Justice/Hambre de Justicia” — and chanted, “Cheating workers is a crime, pay your workers overtime!”

ROC-Michigan took on the upscale 10-restaurant chain after workers, mainly immigrant women of color, were fired after complaining of slave wages, unpaid overtime, sexual harassment and other abuses. The National Labor Relations Board recently ruled in favor of Ethiopian-born Naome Debebe-Bogale, forcing Andiamo to pay back wages and clear her file of discipline.

Management was also ordered to post notices stating that “federal law gives the right to form, join or assist a union” and that “we will not do anything to interfere with these rights,” and prohibiting interrogation, surveillance, forcing workers to sign papers agreeing to “overly broad rules” or otherwise discouraging organizing.

Participants wrapped up the anniversary picket line by marching into the restaurant to present a cardboard birthday cake to Andiamo management. The bosses responded by calling the Dearborn cops, who aggressively shooed workers away from Andiamo’s lawn.

“It’s been a year on this campaign and we’ve built a lot of power and we’re still hungry for justice,” Minsu Longiaru, a ROC-Michigan organizer, told Workers World at an after-picket celebration. “The outpouring of support that’s come from the labor movement and from the community has been incredible. It’s made all the difference in this struggle. It’s why we are where we are today.

“This kind of support from the community is so important,” said Longiaru, “because it shows restaurant workers they are not alone. This kind of community support shows that if you do choose to stand the community will have your back.”

UAW President Bob King said at the celebration gathering: “We are supporting the restaurant workers and ROC because of the injustices that have occurred against those workers. I think it’s really important for people to stand up for one another. We need to build a much broader social justice movement. So wherever there’s injustice we need to speak up, stand out and be there for others.”

“We will continue to be out there every week and will do what it takes to win justice for these workers,” said Longiaru.

For more information see ROC’s Facebook page or visit rocunited.org/affiliates/michigan.