By Bill Parry
Immigrant workers at the Tom Cat Bakery in Long Island City have secured an extension of the deadline for a threatened mass termination after employees, some of whom have worked for the company for more than a decade, held a rally last week. The workers had been notified that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had conducted an audit at the bakery and 31 of them were told they would be fired, with no severance pay, within 10 business days if they did not provide documents proving they are in the United States legally.
The workers demanded the company stick up for them, calling on management to work with them to explore challenges to the DHS investigation. The workers and management met Monday to discuss how they could cooperate in response to the audit after the company was able to secure an extension from DHS to April 21 before anyone would be terminated. On Wednesday “the company pledged to do everything possible under the law to stand with its veteran employees,” according to Brandworkers, a non-profit representing the workers.
An attorney for the company could not be reached for comment.
Tom Cat employees described their efforts as just the beginning of a sustained fight against the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigrant workers and other communities under attack. They continued to urge fellow workers across the country– particularly immigrants, indigenous peoples, African Americans and other marginalized groups — to rise up with them, culminating in a general strike on May 1.
“As a child of parents who came to the U.S. from another country, I know that hardworking immigrants are the backbone of our society and I will continue to stand with them against the wrong-headed and mean-spirited policies coming from Washington,” state Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) said. “I am proud to support the Tom Cat Bakery workers in this fight.”
The bakery began in a garage in 1987 and now occupies an entire city block beneath the Queensboro Bridge at 43-05 10th St. It provides artisinal bread to Citarella, Darden Restaurants and the Grand Hyatt, among other companies. It is now an arm of one of the world’s largest multi-national baking companies, Yamazaki Baking.
Since 2011, employees at Tom Cat have been organizing with Brandworkers, which brings food manufacturing workers together to fight for good jobs and a sustainable food system. The workers are represented by attorneys with Catholic Migration Services and the Urban Justice Center — Community Development Project.
“It seems to me that since the election of President Trump, it’s been ‘open season’ on immigrants,” state Sen. Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst) said.
“This is jeopardizing the livelihood of hardworking immigrants, who are just trying to put food on the table and pay rent. I stand with the workers at Tom Cat Bakery as they fight for their rights.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparr
