Protesting restaurant firings

SAN DIEGO--At least 100 workers and their supporters picketed the Plaza del Pasado in San Diego's Old Town May 8, to protest the firing of 131 members of UNITE HERE Local 30.

Loud drumming and whistles, and chants in English and Spanish, such as "Arriba la union, abajo la corporacion" (Up with the union, down with the corporation) disrupted the peace of patio diners at Barra Barra and the Fiesta de Reyes restaurants. Members of AFSCME Local 3299, Service Employees International Union Local 1877, United Domestic Workers of America and other unions joined the lines. Congressman Bob Filner, Union of Professional and Technical Employees President Jelger Kalmijn and others were arrested by Old Town cops as they refused to honor police lines protecting the affected businesses.

The workers, some with as many as 36 years of service, lost their jobs after Old Town's concessions were sold to new operators. Ten of the 131 were hired back, apparently to hide this blatant union-busting move. But there are reports that even these 10 are facing harassment.

The firings have been devastating to the workers, particularly in this dismal economy. As Reyna Delgado, a janitor for eight years, said, "[Operator] Chuck Ross doesn't like us because we're union. I don't have money to pay the rent."

Delgado has five children and a husband who is out of work after suffering a stroke. The family now faces eviction.

But, as intended, this noisy picket line looked likely to deter business. The workers are fighting to get their jobs back, and calling for a boycott of Barra Barra and the Fiesta de Reyes.