On June 18, hundreds of people picketed outside of AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, as that night’s game was beginning. A group of 44 protesters held a civil disobedience action inside the park, shutting down one of the garlic fries stands. UNITE HERE Local 2, which represents concession stand workers at the ballpark, organized the picket. The action followed a one-day strike held on May 25.
Shouting “No contract! No peace!, No contract! No garlic fries!” among other chants, workers and community supporters formed a picket at the entrance that stretched from the corner of Fourth and King almost halfway down a large block.
Working without a contract
Concession stand workers have been working without a contract since April 1, 2010—meaning no raise since April 2009. Since then, the value of the team has increased 40 percent, attendance has shot up by 10 million, ticket prices have soared 20 percent, and the price of one beer is now $10.25. But the workers have received no increase. The contract struggle has centered on job security, wages and maintaining affordable health care coverage.
Liberation News spoke with one of the workers, Anthony Wendlberger, a line cook who said he cannot afford to live in the area. He lives in Sacramento, and his commute is two hours each way, when he can afford the gas to get there and back. When he cannot, he stays with family members in the area—and then does not get to see his own family. He made sure to note that he did not have it as bad as some of the other workers:. “We got folks living in public housing,” he said.
Describing the work, which is seasonal and part-time, he said, “They just work us when they need us.” The job situation is unpredictable. The workers can earn overtime one week and then receive only two days of work the next.
People making up the huge crowd at the ballpark were generally supportive—a large majority offered an explanatory flyer took them. As Liberation News spoke to Wendlberger, a Giants fan interrupted to make sure the worker would be okay if he did not buy any beer or fries, saying, “I don’t cross picket lines.”
For more information on the campaign, visit www.thegiantzero.org.
