We asked for COVID safety and got suspended

Hi, my name is Jake, and I'm fundraising to support restaurant workers at Via 313 Pizzeria in Austin, TX who were illegally suspended after asking their boss for basic COVID-19 safety.

 

Via 313 has failed to adequately protect the health and safety of its employees and customers during the pandemic. In the last two weeks alone, at least 15 workers have contracted the virus. Management failed to properly notify those in close contact. Unaware of their exposure, many potentially infected employees kept showing up to work and spread the virus further. Via does not offer paid COVID leave, so sick workers are struggling to pay their rent and other bills.

 

The lives of these workers’ friends, families, and customers are on the line. They had no choice but to get together and try to make their concerns heard. 46 Via employees quickly signed a petition asking paid leave, hazard pay, COVID transparency, and other safety protocols. On Wednesday, January 5th, 7 workers acting as leaders for the rest asked for a meeting with a manager and respectfully delivered the petition.

 

What was Via's response? As of Friday, the company has officially suspended without pay at least 4 of the leaders who delivered the petition. This is illegal retaliation against employees forced to exercise to their legal rights to collective action under the National Labor Relations Act. It's also a heartless and irresponsible reaction that prioritizes Via's corporate profits over the health of frontline workers and the public.

 

Their coworkers and the community are coming together to save these workers' jobs. In the meantime, we need to make sure they don't lose their homes or get saddled with enormous debt for the crime of trying to keep all of us safe. Join me in helping these brave restaurant workers replace the wages they're losing from this illegal suspension. Thank you!