Restaurant workers at Kim’s in Uptown Minneapolis voted to unionize Thursday, making the Korean-American eatery the first of chef Ann Kim’s restaurants to join a union.
Workers at Ann Kim’s Uptown Minneapolis restaurant vote to unionize
The Korean-American restaurant is the first of Chef Ann Kim’s restaurants to unionize after 65% of workers voted in favor. Kim also owns Young Joni, Hello Pizza and Pizzeria Lola.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
June 27, 2024 at 11:38PM
About 60 cooks, dishwashers, servers, bartenders and support staff work at Kim’s, and 65% voted in favor of unionizing, according to Unite Here.
“From the beginning, our goal has always been to give our team members the opportunity to participate in a fair election and cast their own vote,” Kim said in a statement. “It was important to me that everyone’s voice was heard. I respect the election results and look forward to working with the team as we move into the future.”
A group of workers notified Kim’s management on May 28 of their intent to unionize. Because Kim, as the employer, did not recognize the union, employees held an election as required by the National Labor Relations Act. They will now negotiate a contract.
“Restaurant workers don’t have to accept feeling disrespected, ignored or like the industry sees them as disposable, like I felt,” Kim’s bartender Aaron Rose said in a statement. “... I look forward to bargaining in good faith and making Kim’s the best restaurant in the Twin Cities.”
The James Beard Award winner behind Young Joni, Pizzeria Lola and Hello Pizza, Kim had said publicly she did not believe workers needed to unionize. Privately, she and other Kim’s higher-ups encouraged employees to vote “no,” saying they believed they could address workers’ concerns without a union.
The unionization drive at Kim’s is part of a recent wave of labor organizing at Twin Cities restaurants, including a push to establish a Labor Standards Board that would study and recommend workplace regulations to city leaders. Restaurateurs have raised alarms about the proposal, saying additional regulations would hurt business.
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