Three contested ballots may swing a tight union vote at Papa Haydn’s Sellwood-Moreland location in Southeast Portland.
A local institution since 1978, the restaurant has long been a destination for sweet tooths. But behind the scenes, workers allege understaffing, high turnover, and unsafe working conditions like staircases obstructed by boxes and busted air conditioning units in a hot upstairs bakery.
Workers say after they filed for a union election March 27, longstanding issues like a broken banister were fixed by management, who then brought in American Labor Relations Group for three weeks of anti-union presentations. Union-busting consultants held voluntary group meetings before shifts and one-on-ones for those who declined to attend those.
Papa Haydn did not return an email from the Labor Press seeking comment.
The May 6 election result was 13 yes for the independent Papa Haydn Workers Union, 11 no, and three contested. Management challenged the ballot of a worker they said had quit. Union supporters contested ballots cast by the general manager’s wife and a financial consultant from Connecticut whom they’d never met. The National Labor Relations Board will make a decision about whether to count the challenged ballots.
Stay tuned.
