This podcast discusses the unionization of a gay bar in Chicago, the challenges faced by the restaurant industry, analysis of union demands and wages at the bar, and the impact of minimum wage increases on servers and bartenders.
The union demands in Berlin focused on improved security training and higher wages for employees.
Berlin's owners expressed concerns about the financial challenges they face and the sustainability of their business.
Deep dives
Unionization and Demands for Safety and Training
Following the unionization of Berlin employees, demands were made for better pay, improved equipment, and more training, particularly in regards to security issues. The union emphasized the need for trained personnel to ensure safety in the wake of incidents such as the shootings in Colorado Springs and Pulse Nightclub. Specific demands included violence training for at least one staff member per shift, improvements to the security vestibule, and better wages for employees who reportedly earned minimum wage with limited access to healthcare.
Owners' Response and Employee Compensation
In their open letter, Berlin's owners highlighted that their employees were well compensated and did not work more than 27 hours per week, with more than half working only 14 hours. The owners disputed claims of low wages, revealing that part-time workers earned a combination of a base hourly wage and tips, with post-pandemic earnings averaging $35 an hour or more for different positions. The owners pushed back against the union's demands, highlighting the significant cost they would incur for additional wages, healthcare, and pension benefits, which they estimated to be over half a million dollars in the first year.
The Challenges of Labor Negotiations and Financial Precarity
Throughout the negotiations between Berlin's owners and the union, communication and involvement from the owners were limited. The union organized strikes and called for a boycott, attracting support from Chicago's queer population. However, negotiations stalled, and the owners' open letter provided specific details about the union's demands that were missing from earlier media coverage. The financial challenges faced by Berlin were also highlighted, with the owners expressing concerns about the sustainability of their business in an industry notorious for low margins and post-pandemic difficulties. Employees shared a sense of financial precarity, with concerns about the future viability of Berlin persisting for years.