The ongoing labor negotiations between Casa Bonita and restaurant performers who voted to unionize two years ago continue to deteriorate and attract outside attention. First, actress Brook Shields weighed in after paying a surprise visit to the restaurant in March. Now it's the feds.
The National Labor Relations Board — an independent federal agency created to enforce labor laws — filed a complaint against the restaurant's management this week, accusing it of unfair labor practices. Charges include refusing to bargain in good faith and discrimination against union members on staff in the form of illegal firings, reduced hours and changes to working conditions.
The workers in question are performers like cliff divers, magicians, puppeteers and actors — not servers or cooks — who are represented by the Actors' Equity Association, of which Shields is president.