PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — World Cafe Live fired workers who walked off the job this week over payroll issues and a toxic work environment. Some employees who were let go said they had no part in the protest.
About 10-12 servers, bartenders and box office workers walked off the job Wednesday night during a Suzanne Vega concert. They say the new CEO, Joe Callahan, is failing to manage the venue and pay workers.
“We had, like, chants and everything like that saying, ‘Keep Metaverse out of my shows. Joe Callahan has got to go,’” said Evelyn Blower, who had worked at World Cafe Live since 2023.
“We are protesting against all of the new leadership that has come in and tried to make the changes that have turned the World Cafe Live into something unrecognizable.”
Blower said a security guard handed her a termination letter the next day at the entrance to the venue: “Immediately, you are permanently banned from accessing the premises of World Cafe Live anytime for any reason. Security has been informed,” the notice read.
She says the firings are retaliatory, and Callahan is working against safety commitments and anti-harassment policies in place at World Cafe Live.
Bar manager Michael Stiltner has worked at the venue since 2023. He said even people who had nothing to do with the protests were fired.
“They said that they’re only firing the people that walked out. Well, that’s not true. I know at least two employees that got termination letters that was not part of the protest.”
Stiltner says Callahan’s background in technology is hurting World Cafe as an institution.
“It feels like a hostile corporate takeover. It went from a mom-and-pop music venue with diversity and creativity to a toxic, hostile work environment.”
Callahan is known for helping bring The Portal to Philadelphia. He was elected CEO of World Cafe Live this year.
In an Instagram post, workers said that since Callahan has purchased the venue, there has been a “lack of direction, a lack of proper management and a lack of understanding the values that World Cafe Live shares with the local Philadelphia community.”
“Despite claiming to be a Philly native ‘from the hood,’ Callahan has expressly said that Philadelphia itself is not their main focus,” the post continued. “We believe that the original mission has been lost under Callahan’s leadership. The community should be fearful about the future of WCL after losing integral members of the experience."
World Cafe Live said it is contacting state and federal authorities about possible legal action against the employees who protested.
KYW asked Callahan for an interview, but was pointed to a press release published earlier this week.