Workers at Lanesplitter in Oakland Walkout to Protest Working Conditions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:Workers from the local Lanesplitter Pizza Pub walked off their shifts Monday night to protest the working conditions and poor food quality of the company; customers walked out in support.

Oakland, California - April 16, 2013- Customers responded to the walkout on Monday night with a standing ovation. Workers walked out to bring attention to an inconsistency in marketing, which advertises good treatment and health care benefits for their workers. In reality, argue the workers, less than ten percent of the staff are provided health care due to the impossible requirements necessary, servers and kitchen staff are paid poorly and constantly changing hours make it difficult for workers to meet their basic needs, succeed in school, and spend time with family.“Management and bosses are emotionally abusive,” states one worker who prefers to remain anonymous, “reprimanding us publicly, overworking us, being both blatantly and passive aggressively rude and nasty to us.”The workers also posit that the company is a “boys’ club,” saying women in higher positions are systematically pushed out. “They treat us as replaceable and expendable, which is common in the food service industry, but we are tired of this having no consequence. We are leaving tonight because we are no longer willing to take the misogyny, emotional abuse, horrible pay, disrespect, and unpredictable schedule,” say the workers.

They are also specifically demanding a liveable wage for kitchen staff and accessible healthcare.The workers stand in solidarity with all service workers who have recently gone on strike across the United States, and their coworkers who were not able to join them in the walkout Monday night. They encourage customers to support them by commenting on Yelp, talking to management, and emailing their bosses to let them know the community stands behind them: (miller [at] lanesplitterpizza.com,ian [at] lanesplitter.com, vic [at] lanesplitter.com,daniel [at] lanesplitter.com).

Amanda Swift
amandaswiftoakland [at] gmail.com
(510) 463 4125