pic.jpg
A group of protestors has targeted a historic Seattle bakery because of what they call 'unfair' labor practices.

Activism or Intimidation? Protestors threaten historic Seattle bakery

BY Brandi Kruse  on April 5, 2012 @ 5:20 am (Updated: 4:11 pm - 4/9/12 )

Related
A historic Seattle bakery has been targeted by a group of protestors who claim the owner has unfair labor practices.

Borracchini's Bakery has been located in the Rainier Valley for nearly 90 years, and owner Remo Borracchini said his customers have become like family. Which is why when he started to get complaints that an employee was being rude to customers, he decided to let her go.

"I said, 'We can't do this anymore, we just can't do this anymore," Borracchini said. "She said, 'You mean I'm fired?' I said, 'Yes, you are.'"

The worker had been with the business for nine years.

But not long after he let the woman go, she showed up at the bakery with a group of more than 50 people. The demonstrators marched inside the small shop, and delivered Borracchini a letter that demanded he pay his former worker $7,901. The letter claimed that the employee was denied breaks as required by law, and therefore entitled to 10 minutes pay for every four hours she worked.

"We hope and expect that this will be done soon, within no more than two weeks," the letter read. "Otherwise, we will take further action."

The group behind the demand is called the Seattle Solidity Network, which is described as a volunteer network that helps people who are "getting kicked around by an employer or landlord." Since their original protest, the group has posted signs about Borracchini's around the neighborhood, and has planned another protest for Saturday.

Borracchini denies the allegations, and said his employees are entitled to "mini-breaks" or "breaks on the fly," which add up to 10 minutes over the course of a four-hour shift. He showed KIRO FM surveillance video of the employee in question taking those breaks.

Several employees who were at the bakery Tuesday said they believe the break policy is fair, and take breaks as they need them. A manager, who has been with Borracchini's for more than 20 years, said he has never had a complaint about breaks.

"I love this business. I love the people who work here, and for somebody to come in and do this, it's hurtful, it's very hurtful. Because it's unjustified," Borracchini said.

A member of Seattle Solidarity, which is also known as SeaSol, acknowledged that they agreed to help the worker without asking for the bakery's side of the story. He said, however, that she had provided statements from other workers who did not receive breaks either.

"In this society, the people that are working for companies have much less power than the people who own companies," said the member, who went by Ryan H. "So our basic assumption, generally, is we assume that there's more of a chance that what they're saying is true than untrue."

The group was also quick to believe the employee's story because they had helped her in the past. Ryan said they protested her former landlord until he returned a deposit she said he wrongfully kept. Since then, the woman has regularly attended SeaSol meetings and become friends with many members.

"She's done this before, and now I understand that she had told an employee a while ago, 'If they ever fire me, I will demonstrate here. I will put them out of business," Borracchini said.

Borracchini said he hopes to get an injunction to prevent the group from protesting at his business in the future.

Brandi Kruse, KIRO Radio Reporter
Brandi Kruse is a reporter for KIRO Radio who is as spontaneous and adventurous in her free time as she is on the job. Brandi arrived at KIRO Radio in March 2011 and has already collected three regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her reporting.
Related:
More Local News
Top Stories

  • Miracle
    Seattle native is only person ever cured of HIV and returns home to boost the cure

  • Back In Business
    A temporary bridge span across the Skagit River is set to open Wednesday

  • High Altitude Upgrade
    The state's highest outhouse atop Mount Rainier is getting a badly needed upgrade
MyNorthwest.com - Purpose of Comments statement
Bonneville Media encourages site users to express their opinions by posting comments. Our goal is to maintain a civil dialogue in which readers feel comfortable. At times, the comments can descend to personal attacks. Please do not engage in such behavior. We encourage your thoughtful comments which: have a positive and constructive tone, are on topic, are respectful toward others and their opinions. Bonneville reserves the right to remove comments which do not conform to these criteria.

Comments (455)


  • Add A Comment

  • SickofSeattleite wrote...
    wow
    April 5, 2012 5:49 am
    ex employees will do just about anything.....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Fuego wrote...
    It would appear...
    April 5, 2012 5:56 am
    that if there's a legitimate gripe then the state should be involved and not the thugs that are trying to intimidate a successful business. I had to go through a similar thing with a former employee that had a pattern of suing for some injustice every place she worked.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Country_Dog wrote...
    Good for SeaSol
    April 5, 2012 6:01 am
    "A member of Seattle Solidarity, which is also known as SeaSol, acknowledged that they agreed to help the worker without asking for the bakery's side of the story."

    Can anybody say "knee-jerk" or "just plain jerks"?

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rotary Engine 101 wrote...
    Make me
    April 5, 2012 6:08 am
    NOT want to hire anyone.. as I dont have the time to deal with these kind of morons. so in my case I just wont hire any more and if need to than oh well I will figure a way do to do it my self.. Regardless IF she has a complaint than that is what the state is for, not some mafia thugs off the street.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rainbowumbrella wrote...
    Please don't!
    April 5, 2012 2:42 pm
    If you are scared of SeaSol it's because you're worried how your workers might react if they knew about us! So don't hire anybody and do yourself and everyone else a favor!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Yelsew55 wrote...
    LOL
    April 5, 2012 8:38 am
    That's just plain funny!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    and if they are 'successful', the people lose
    April 5, 2012 6:04 am
    Cleaver - $7,901 isn't a grievance, it's a shake-down. Whoever these 'sea-shills' are, they likely think $8,000 is too little for the bakery to fight. .. But Borracchini's is an institution - and not just for the Rainier Valley. Anyone from Tacoma to Northgate who wants a really good birthday cake knows where to go. And, yes, we do enjoy the people working there. As with a good restaurant, they are part of the ambiance. .. Who knows as she is unnamed, but if this worker was rude on a consistent basis, she should have been let go. ... By the way, $8000 may not seem like much, but it might be make or break for a small business.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Keitho wrote...
    Get a job!!
    April 5, 2012 6:21 am
    Too many people with too much time on their hands. Go in there and show you can do a better job. Apparently there is an opening. Complaining and protesting gets you and her nowhere.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rainbowumbrella wrote...
    Have you ever tried working without breaks?
    April 5, 2012 12:16 pm
    Here's your opportunity! $9.00/hr to raise a family, and no breaks :) !
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • 770 Sports Fan wrote...
    Down time vs. break time
    April 5, 2012 10:20 pm
    rainbowumbrella,This employee is just being vindictive. If you took the time to listen to the owner and Manager there were no complaints until after this employee was given the opportunity to go find a company that provides 10 minute breaks. I challenge any member member of Seattle Solidarity to view the tape and add up the time that this employee was taking their break "on the fly" I'm sure that you'd find that the time spent sitting on his/her butt is close to double the ten minutes she said she didn't get.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Glover W wrote...
    Can you say background check!
    April 5, 2012 6:38 am
    It is sad to say but in this day and age here is one more item to check before you hire a new employee. Have they ever been involved in a lawsuit or dispute with a current or former employer? Because this lady is not the type of person who anyone will want as an employee.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • FrankDaph wrote...
    You're absolutely right
    April 5, 2012 4:41 pm
    bosses don't want people who will stand up for their rights!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • 770 Sports Fan wrote...
    Do your job or someone else will
    April 5, 2012 10:31 pm
    FrankDaph I think you mean bosses don't want people who will sit on their butts all day
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Hank Reardon wrote...
    Who could imagine
    April 5, 2012 6:38 am
    with the fired employees response by bringing in thugs that she would have been rude to customers. Heck I hope I can make it down there Saturday to buy something for Easter.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • beatnikmao wrote...
    Wannabe Radicals
    April 5, 2012 6:43 am
    On their website, SeaSol claims that they "critically examine" the stories of workers/tenants who bring them information and take time considering on whether or not they take on the fight, but according to the sound cuts, they didn't in this case. They only pay lip service to their own ideas. I really think it is funny that they interviewee from SeaSol cut off the line of questioning; a true radical would have used the soapbox he was given to educate the world on the situation (which is one of SeaSols supposed missions). They want to portray themselves as the agitators of the past and even "loosely affiliate" themselves with the Seattle IWW, but where was the passion in the speech, there was none. They have no Big Bill Haywoods, Elizabeth Flynn Gurleys, or Joe Hills. I do not believe many of these people have truly suffered under the bosses yoke as they proclaim on their website, for if they had really worked in hellish conditions, or if Borracchini's was as evil as they want us to believe, there would have been much more fire in their rhetoric.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rainbowumbrella wrote...
    Joeline Hill here
    April 5, 2012 12:22 pm
    Hey! Joeline Hill here-- I'm a SeaSol organizer, and have personally won my own deposit back through direct action organizing. I've definitely suffered under a bosses yoke, many times. I just don't care about rhetoric that much, or not right now anyway. More important is building enough of a network so people might care to listen. No point in going up on a soapbox if nobody cares what you can do.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • BikeNazi wrote...
    Fight fire with fire
    April 5, 2012 6:46 am
    Since Personal Army Seattle or whatever these losers are called are going to 'protest' again on Saturday, just take your cameras and take pictures of every single member of the protestors. Send them to KIRO radio, KING5, KOMO, put them up on your Facebook, identify and tag any one of them that you can and call them out as a lynch mob. They have no protection of privacy in a public space and their choice is to be publicly shamed by good citizens who don't want to put up with this crap or go home and leave this old guy alone.

    I bet this employee is black. I bet you a dollah she is.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • D-Leon wrote...
    @BikeNazi
    April 5, 2012 11:45 am
    You know this post was half alright until you had to throw race into it. Just really not necessary. Stay focused on the issue which is the owner wrongfully being targeted even though Washington is a "Rigth to Work" state. When you use lynch mob, think about the last three centuries of which demographic lynch mobs target. Walk a mile in another mans shoes before you use such words. Use your head and stay focus on the issue.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rainbowumbrella wrote...
    Hey there racist....
    April 5, 2012 12:23 pm
    You owe me a dollar, racist. Also, thanks for letting me know to bring a scarf on Saturday! See you there !
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • FrankDaph wrote...
    You bet the employee is black?
    April 5, 2012 4:43 pm
    Because... you're insanely racist? ahaha
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • DJFavorite wrote...
    John Curley is right on target
    April 5, 2012 6:53 am
    I'd say this former employee is a 'something for nothing' and is resorting to thuggery to get her way. This group is nothing but a bunch of bullies who are trying to be the 'big boys' on the playground. If this was a legitimate issue, then the state would be involved and other employees would be complaining too.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rainbowumbrella wrote...
    Other employees ARE complaining
    April 5, 2012 1:26 pm
    Or at least former employee's sent letters to the woman as well-- explaining that they too didn't have any breaks! Asking an employee, on the job, on camera, where their boss will certainly hear about is NOT a good way to find the truth of the situation.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }