Protests

The Xoco Protest Flyer Attacks Rick Bayless’s ‘Celebrity Awards’

The protesters might be gone from outside of Xoco, but questions of who they are and what they’re after still persist: Frontera Kitchens publicist Jen Fite told us that the men holding the “Rick ‘Payless’ Bayless” sign were targeting Goldberg General Contracting (the company that oversaw Xoco’s buildout), but Goldberg project manager Jeff Berry told 312DD “Those guys have never worked for us. I have no idea who they are.” So we’re grateful to Grub Street commenter Dave!, who passed along the full text of the protesters’ flyer.

The flyer’s full text:

Well, CONGRATULATIONS MR. RICK “PAYLESS” BAYLESS

You’ve opened another taco stand. How proud you must be! Why, with your TV shows, book deals & celebrity awards, you must be quite pleased with yourself.

But being so busy, you probably didn’t notice the CARPENTERS PICKETS outside XOCO while it was being built by GOLDBERG GENERAL CONTRACTING using unrepresented and underpaid carpenters. And you were probably too busy reading fan mail and rearranging your trophy case to notice our handbills which we passed out in front of Frontera the last few weeks.

And while you were picking the right wine to serve and lugging all those royalty checks to the bank - you probably didn’t have time to consider that some carpenters’ families may have lost their union provided heath care insurance because they were unemployed while you built your newest guacamole shrine on the cheap.

Let’s face it Rick - you’ve just been too busy making mountains of money to care about working people - like carpenters. But when you exploit scared and hungry workers during a hard recession, then your excuses become particularly feeble and patently phony.

BOYCOTT XOCO

In Chicago the UNION stands for decent wages, family health care and a dignified & secure retirement!

What do you stand for Rick?

RUNAWAY GREED?

THE CARPENTERS UNION IS ENGAGED IN A LABOR DISPUTE WITH GOLDBERG GENERAL CONTRACTING OVER PAYMENT OF SUBSTANDARD WAGES. WE ARE ONLY APPEALING TO YOU THE PUBLIC.

As Dave! notes, it’s pretty clear from this flyer that the protesting Carpenters’ Union has beef with Goldberg, not with Bayless, and that many of their concerns have nothing to do with everyone’s favorite Mexican food evangelist. Yes, Bayless’s name is all over the thing (we’re surprised they didn’t mention his twitter stream along with the fan mail and polished trophies), but it’s clear that he’s only involved in the greivance inasmuch as he’s a target likely to grab public attention. Ahem. And, okay, the rhyme with “Payless” is pretty hard to resist.

Previously: Breaking: Protesters In Front Of Xoco

The Xoco Protest Flyer Attacks Rick Bayless’s ‘Celebrity Awards’