The 318 Restaurant Workers Union: Organizing Against Sweatshops

For the last two decades the 318 Restaurant Workers Union at Silver Palace has been a symbol of workers' self-organization in the community. Formed in 1980 when workers protested against the management's illegal practice of stealing tips, 318 has won a 40-hour workweek, medical benefits, job security, overtime pay, paid vacation, sick days and holiday pay in the midst of Chinatown's unregulated sweatshop economy.

The 318 Restaurant Workers Union is the first and only independent union for restaurant workers in Chinatown. 318 has been able to significantly improve conditions for its members; it provides hope to the 25,000 garment workers and 10,000 restaurant workers, and its membership has been active and vocal on sweatshop issues. For instance, it was the Silver Palace workers who kicked off the Campaign to Enforce Labor Laws in Chinatown and picketed at Jing Fong Restaurant for months in 1995. This directly led to the unprecedented lawsuit filed by New York State Attorney General and the subsequent $1.145 million settlement. Also, working hours were lowered all over Chinatown in an effort to convince workers that organizing for their rights was unnecessary.

In 1993, Silver Palace tried to destroy the union by locking out the union when it refused to accept an illegal contract which would: reduce their pay from $8.42/hr. to $2.90/hr., allow managers to take a portion of the tips, eliminate benefits, reduce sick pay and allow management to arbitrarily replace full-time workers with part-time workers. After a 7-month community campaign, the union won a fair contract and $1 million in backwages. Management then declared bankruptcy to avoid paying the settlement, and even tried to convert a portion of the restaurant into an OTB parlor in order to eliminate the dim sum business. This way, they could get rid of some unionized workers and continue to make profits.

When all this failed and the workers continued to resist, the management decided on its present strategy.

New Silver Palace | Justice Will Be Served

mail: NMASS P.O. Box 130293, New York, NY 10013-0995
email: nmass@yahoo.com

Brooklyn Workers Center: 93 Third Avenue, Brooklyn (corner of Bergen St.)
tel: 718-625-9091 • fax: 718-625-8950
subway:N/W/R or 4/5 or 2/3 trains to Atlantic/ Pacific Subway stop. (map)

Lower East Side Workers Center: 59 Hester Street between Ludlow and Essex
tel: 212-358-0295• fax: 212-358-0297
subway: F train to East Broadway