Dear community,

Workers in the Laurel District are organizing—and when they speak up, we all step up to take action!

Workers at Cafe of the Bay, a well-known neighborhood institution, are organizing to win wages that they claim they are owed. At the beginning of this year, workers came to Trabajadores Unidos Workers United (TUWU), a worker center dedicated to organizing workers across the Bay Area. TUWU spoke with five workers from Cafe of the Bay, who reported that they were owed wages for hours worked, and some reported that they did not receive minimum wage, overtime pay, and paid sick leave. One worker has worked at Cafe of the Bay since 1997 and has shared that he has been physically assaulted by the manager.

In March, the workers confronted the employer, Edward Kang, and asked for a group meeting to settle their wage disputes. Edward never responded to the workers with a date for a group meeting and has insisted on singling the workers out to resolve issues one by one. The workers are determined to meet collectively and are still awaiting a response from Edward.

On May Day, workers took action outside of the shop to ensure that the owner and manager heard their demands. Neighbors from across the Laurel District and around the Bay came out to support workers in their fight against wage theft. The message was clear: sit with your workers today. The owner and the manager did not set a date to meet.

Workers have now been waiting for over two months to meet with their employer and resolve these issues. They have filed a claim with the Oakland City Attorney’s Office, but they would rather meet with Edward sooner and reach a resolution. The Laurel District stands with these workers and supports their struggle. Neighbors, businesses, allies, and community members are signing this petition today to say: Wage theft has no place in our neighborhood. Cafe of the Bay, sit down with your workers.

Sign today to show your support and spread the word!

When workers are under attack, we stand up and fight back!