PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Nearly 80% of voting employees at World Cafe Live elected to join the hospitality workers union UNITE HERE Local 274 earlier this week.
At a town hall Thursday night, leadership for the music venue said they voluntarily recognize the union for its food service and front-of-house workers.
Last month, a number of workers walked out to protest payroll issues, a toxic work environment and World Cafe Live’s new leadership, and they were abruptly fired.
Maya Coover, a server, said she’s looking forward to having a seat at the table.
“It’s all about having a voice and having power to make decisions in your workplace and not just have everything told to you,” she said. “We work the venue. We know our customers. We know the building. We should have a say in it.”
The venue’s production department unionized with IATSE Local 8 last month. World Cafe Life voluntarily recognized that union as well.