Business & Tech
Carpenters' Union Protests Outside Santa Anita Mall
The labor organization says a new local restaurant is using non-union company for a construction project.
A carpenters' union hung a banner on the sidewalk outside the Santa Anita Mall Tuesday to protest the hiring of a non-union construction company.
Members of the Carpenters Local 944 displayed a sign reading "Shame on Hai Di Lao" and passed out flyers that claim the local restaurant hired a contractor that "does not meet area labor standards."
"Carpenters Local 944 believes that Hai Di Lao Hotpot has an obligation to the community to see that area labor standards are met for construction work at all their projects...," the flyer reads. "They should not be able to insulate themselves behind 'independent' contractors."
Katie Chung, the HR manager for Hai Di Lao, said in an interview that the company is not contractually obligated to hire union labor.
"We just went with the most suitable bid that we got," Chung said.
Hi Di Lao's restaurant will be the chain's first in the U.S. when it opens in September, according to Eater LA. The company has 75 locations in China.
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