Ghirardelli workers took part in a one-day strike at the company\u2019s flagship location at San Francisco\u2019s Fisherman\u2019s Wharf Saturday demanding a new contract that includes wage increases and preserving their union-run health plan, for which they\u2019ve been bargaining for months.<\/p>\n
As KGO reports<\/a>, Ghirardelli workers from San Francisco\u2019s Unite Here Local 2, including dishwashers, cashiers, and candymakers, held a strategic one-day strike in Fisherman\u2019s Wharf on Valentine\u2019s Day \u2014 one of the store\u2019s busiest days of the year. The workers are putting the pressure on their employer to meet their demands of increased pay and maintaining their union-run health plan after months of bargaining. <\/p>\n \u201cWe want Ghirardelli to treat workers as sweet as they treat customers who come for a great experience,\u201d Alexis Luna-Torres, spokesperson for Unite Here Local 2, told KGO. <\/p>\n Unite Here Local 2<\/a> also represents the Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott hotel workers who won contracts in 2024 after three months of striking, as SFist reported<\/a> at the time.<\/p>\n As SF Gazetteer reported<\/a> in December when union members held a previous one-day strike, the health plan is the biggest sticking point between the two parties, as the company has been pressing employees to switch from an existing union-run plan to an employer-run plan. Per Gazetteer, this would likely mean a cut in benefits and less input from workers regarding their coverage and benefits, according to Sonya Karabel, a researcher and spokesperson for Local 2.<\/p>\n \u201cFor example, during the pandemic shutdown, the union was able to make the decision to spend funds and extend health insurance for workers,\u201d Karabel told Gazetteer. \u201cIf a company like Ghirardelli had controlled health insurance, that would not have been an option.\u201d<\/p>\n Gazetteer spoke to Diego Huerta, a 23-year-old cashier with chronic illness, who\u2019s worried about losing his union-managed insurance benefits.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not just about me and my condition,\u201d Huerta told Gazetteer. \u201cI\u2019ve noticed people in my workplace who have multiple health concerns. They\u2019re elderly.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cSome people are going through mental health struggles. Therapy and treatment costs a lot of money,\u201d Huerta continued. \u201cWe\u2019re putting pressure on companies to recognize the impact that we have as workers, and the fact that we need a more fair share of what we produce.\u201d<\/p>\n Additionally, Gazetteer writes that Ghirardelli workers haven\u2019t received a pay increase since 2023, and the union says the company\u2019s current offer of a 25-cent raise is insufficient. As Gazetteer notes, Ghirardelli workers currently make less per hour ($19.50) than a single Ghirardelli banana split ($19.95).<\/p>\n \u201cThe cost of living in San Francisco is very expensive,\u201d Cynthia Cardoza, an employee of 29 years, told KGO. \u201cWith the salary we have, we can’t afford it.\u201d<\/p>\n KGO spoke to some tourists who unsurprisingly treated the whole thing like a spectacle.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s the first time I’ve come in and seen all of this,\u201d said Megan Carvale from Orange County.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s kind of amusing and annoying. It’s kind of loud,\u201d said Jim Carter-Hargrove from Reno.<\/p>\n Lindt, Ghirardelli’s parent company, told KGO, “Our main focus right now is on reaching an agreement that supports our employees and ensures the long-term success of our business… every proposal Ghirardelli has made involves covering 100% of the employee’s monthly healthcare premiums.\u201d<\/p>\n Image: Unite Here Local 2<\/a>\/Instagram<\/p>\n Previously: Striking Hotel Workers Reach Tentative Deal With Marriott<\/a><\/p>\n