As Cafe Ceres Staff Push to Unionize, Management Allegedly Prohibits Shows of Support for Palestine
Earlier this month, employees of Cafe Ceres and its sister restaurant, Colita, announced plans to unionize. Now, the restaurant is once again at the center of controversy.
According to a leaked email reportedly sent to Cafe Ceres team members by management, the establishment has barred employees from wearing buttons, pins, or anything else showing support for Palestine while at work.
The screenshot of the email which reportedly came from Cafe Ceres reads, “We have received several complaints from members of our community that they have become fearful of spending time in our Cafe because of what they perceive to be an anti-Semitic environment, as evidenced by a number of teammates wearing buttons in support of one side in the current conflict in Gaza.
While we as an organization wholeheartedly support independent and diverse thought, it is inappropriate to wear political slogans, unrelated to the terms and conditions of your employment, particularly when doing so could cause fear or discomfort among our customers and the greater community.
We are by no means attempting to limit your rights under the National Labor Relations Act to wear buttons or insignia showing support or non-support for union organizing or any labor organization, or that relate to your employment. However, we believe that the buttons showing support for one side of the current conflict are at best offensive and, at worst, create an atmosphere that is the opposite of the harmony we all seek at the Cafe.
There is no doubt that we all want to see a peaceful resolution to the current conflict, nonetheless, effective immediately, no buttons or other insignia showing support for one side or the other, will be allowed to be worn while working at the Cafe. We regret having to take this action but the health and well-being of our valued customers must always be paramount.”
While it is unclear just how many complaints the restaurant received, a negative review along with a screenshot of the supposed email from management is easily searchable.
According to a one-star Google review of Cafe Ceres by someone who has identified themself as Samantha Barton, “I’m not going to drink coffee at a place that supports ethnic cleansing. Seems like a great location tho. Glad they understand the importance of organized labor relations.”
The reported decree from management comes just days after a supermajority of over 90 employees from Colita and Cafe Ceres, both owned by Daniel Del Prado’s Restaurant Group, announced plans to unionize. If Del Prado does not recognize the union soon, workers will likely vote to unionize, as they represent the majority of workers at both establishments.
The timing of the alleged leaked email will almost certainly keep the restaurant’s treatment of its employees in question as workers fight to unionize.