Leaked messages show Ann Kim’s Uptown restaurant urged workers to reject union

Leaked internal messages show that managers at Kim’s in Minneapolis’ Uptown neighborhood repeatedly encouraged employees to vote against unionization, saying they believed the restaurant could meet the needs of workers without a union.

Workers informed management on May 28 of their intention to unionize at James Beard Award-winning chef Ann Kim’s Korean-American restaurant, citing unpredictable work schedules that they said made it difficult to make a living. . Because Kim, as an employer, has not recognized the employees’ union, workers will vote Thursday on whether to form a union, as required by the National Labor Relations Act.

Workers at Kim’s would join Unite Here Local 17, a hospitality union that represents workers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul as well as Minnesota’s stadiums, hotels, restaurants, bars and clubs. In an Instagram post earlier this month, Kim said she “wholeheartedly” believes her staff “can come together as a union-free Team Kim.”

Local Instagrammer Joe Rosenthal was the first to post the leaked messages, sent to staff between June 10 and 24. Rosenthal has a national following and publishes regularly about the restaurant industry. Kim’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The messages encouraged employees to participate in union elections and explained the reasons for voting “no”, including the cost of dues, the rigidity of collective bargaining agreements, the impact on restaurant culture, the disconnect between managers and workers during the collective bargaining process and the potential for future strikes.

“Unions make a lot of promises during a campaign (more money, better benefits, job protection, a voice in management or a seat at the table, etc.). But they don’t “is not how collective bargaining works,” read a June 24 message from Kim and her business partner and husband, Conrad Leifur. “The law does not require either party to accept a proposal or require that they make a concession. The legal obligation is simply to negotiate in good faith. There are no guarantees and, according to the law, an employer is not obliged to accept any union proposal If a union’s promises seem too good to be true, it’s because they are.

Unite Here said in a statement that it was “disappointed” that Vestalia Hospitality – the restaurant group that includes Kim’s, Young Joni, Pizzeria Lola and Hello Pizza – “continues to engage in persistent and classic anti-union tactics at Kim’s rather than respecting a qualified majority. of their employees. We want to have a seat at the table so we can do our best work – and Kim’s is the best restaurant in Minneapolis. We know that hospitality can be a stable and fulfilling career. We are excited to build this future. “.

The messages acknowledged the issues raised by workers – more respect, more stable schedules, restaurant service charges rather than a tipping model – and encouraged them to ask managers their questions.

“We hear you. Some of these things we can control, like our culture and our desire to work as a team where your individual voices matter,” the June 13 message read. “Some things we can’t control, like how many guests we have and how many people we need for a particular service.

“We hope you can see our vision for Kim’s. There are so many amazing people working incredibly hard here, and we are starting to see signs of growth in the community.”