Austin IWW Joins in Solidarity Action with Doughnut Workers United
The Austin IWW General Membership Branch joined with Fellow Workers across the country on Thursday, July 29th to stand in solidarity with Doughnut Workers United (DWU) in Portland, OR. DWU represents the employees of the Portland-founded Voodoo Doughnuts, who have been fighting for better pay and working conditions at the trendy doughnut shop.
This nationwide action was prompted by Voodoo management’s response to dangerously hot conditions in the storefront and kitchen of the Old Town Portland Voodoo Doughnuts location as the Pacific Northwest was hit by a historic heatwave. On the weekend of June 26th, Portland experienced its highest temperatures on record as local restaurants and businesses struggled to keep things cool indoors. Unlike here in Texas, most homes in Portland don’t have central AC, and the HVAC units at most businesses aren’t cut out for the kind of heat Texans are used to.
But even in Texas, 116 degree heat outdoors is a thing of spectacular brutality. As temperatures across the Pacific Northwest rose to dangerous heights, many restaurants across Portland closed their doors, opting to protect their staff over their profits. Not the Old Town Voodoo location, however. When employees reported feeling symptoms consistent with heat exhaustion, the response from management wasn’t calling someone to fix the struggling AC unit or closing their doors for a few days like so many other Portland restaurants did. Instead, they offered the sweltering staff wet towels and chilled Gatorade, and told employees who complained about the dangerous temperatures “If you’re too hot, then you can go home.” The management also adjusted production times to take place during cooler hours, but when the high temperature gets to 116, even the low daily temperature can create dangerous conditions in inadequately air-conditioned facilities.
Voodoo’s management could have chosen to protect the well-being of its staff, but decided not to take advantage of an opportunity to do the right thing. While this may seem like shocking disregard for the health of staff members, Voodoo’s management has a history of fighting against workers’ best interests. Back in March of 2020, a majority of Voodoo workers — including both those still employed and those who had already been laid off as a result of COVID — organized to form Doughnut Workers United with support from the Portland IWW. After going public, DWU asked Voodoo’s management to voluntarily recognize their union. To this day, Voodoo’s founders, Tres Shannon and Kenneth “Cat Daddy” Pogson have refused to recognize the union. When interviewed by Willamette Week, a Voodoo spokesperson said that “There is no union at Voodoo Doughnut Old Town,” a frequent response when DWU has come to the management to express concerns.
In response to Voodoo’s callous disregard for employees’ safety, many workers at the Old Town Voodoo location went on strike during that historically hot weekend. Some workers openly declared that they were striking, while others simply said that they were taking a sick day. The next week, employees found that the workers who had said the word “strike” when telling management they wouldn’t be coming in that day were fired. Curiously enough, those who didn’t say “strike” but still engaged in the strike activity kept their jobs. It’s worth noting that going on strike is a legally protected activity.
To protest these unjust and illegal firings, DWU called on Fellow Workers in every city in the US with a Voodoo Doughnuts location to show up at the storefronts, distribute flyers about Voodoo’s labor practices, and talk with the community. Austin IWW members (along with a new FW who came all the way from Brazos County to help) joined with Fellow Workers in Houston, TX; Denver, CO; Eugene and Portland, OR; Los Angeles, CA; and Orlando, FL to raise awareness of Voodoo Doughnuts’ shameful labor practices. DWU spent July 29th engaging in a picket of the Old Town Voodoo location, supported by over 150 allies from local labor unions, activist organizations, and the general community. In addition to this direct action, DWU has filed legal complaints over the firings with the NLRB and the Oregon Bureau of Industry and Labor and unsafe working condition complaints with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
The DWU organizers have set up a GoFundMe page to support the striking workers (link below). To find out how you can help support Doughnut Workers United as they continue to fight Voodoo’s unacceptable labor practices, check out DWU’s social media accounts:
Contact Austin IWW here!