Owners of El Quinto Pino, Txikito, La Vara, and Saint Julivert Fisherie restaurants have halted their use of Tom Cat Bakery products.
Workers and dozens of their allies spent months appealing to El Quinto Pino’s management and have finally been heard. The power of persistent, organized people making demands earned the support of chef-owners Alex Raij and Eder Montero. They are joining six prominent restaurant leaders, including Eric Ripert, April Bloomfield, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who have all stopped serving Tom Cat bread until the company resolves workers’ demands.
Workers demand that Tom Cat adopt basic best practices to protect immigrant workers from hidden audits and warrantless raids at the factory. Their demands include resolved negotiations for a fair and dignified severance for longstanding employees from whom Tom Cat hid an ICE audit last year.
El Quinto Pino has added leverage to workers’ efforts against ICE attacks and Tom Cat’s collaboration. We are celebrating, but the fight is far from finished. Workers continue engaging NYC’s food industry seeking support in the growing national movement for commonsense worker protection policies in the Trump era. Pleased to have Chef Raij’s support, workers and allies now await a decision from the artisanal pizzerias Emily and Emmy Squared, (home of the famed #EmmyBurger), who have acknowledged concern for the Tom Cat workers. Brandworkers thanks you for your relentless commitment to victory! Sign up below to support workers winning.