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'This is retaliation': Remedy House employees go on strike after employee is fired

Meghan Sullivan (center) outside of Remedy House
Thomas O'Neil-White
/
WBFO News
Meghan Sullivan (center) outside of Remedy House

For the second day in a row Remedy House café workers are striking outside the café after agreeing to unionize late last week.

They are calling on ownership of the Rhode Island Street establishment to meet several demands, including improving workplace conditions and rehiring Beverage Director Meghan Sullivan, who said she was fired for as retaliation for leading the organizing effort.

“Last Friday we decided to form a union and it was 100% unanimous,” she said. “And yesterday I was fired after we had already signed union cards and formed the actual union. It was retaliation and we're out here striking because of it.”

Sullivan said workers have the support of the Rochester Regional Joint Board of Workers United, the same union local Starbucks workers organize with. She said local support continues to grow.

“We're working with Workers United currently,” she said. “We also have a huge support through social media, from the community, from customers that regularly support us who do not support employees who do not support unions.”

Sullivan said they will continue the strike as they continue to speak with lawyers and negotiate with Remedy House.

Tuesday, Remedy House released a statement on their Instagram stating their mission "to create an inclusive, safe environment for all who enter our doors."

According to Rochester Regional Joint Board of Workers United, Remedy House employees have won voluntary recognition of their union and are officially recognized as a union and can begin contract negotiations with Remedy House ownership.

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Thomas moved to Western New York at the age of 14. A graduate of Buffalo State College, he majored in Communications Studies and was part of the sports staff for WBNY. When not following his beloved University of Kentucky Wildcats and Boston Red Sox, Thomas enjoys coaching youth basketball, reading Tolkien novels and seeing live music.
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