Tourists traveling to San Francisco planning to stop by the famous Ghiradelli Chocolate & Ice Cream Shop for some sweet treats will find themselves disappointed.
Forty-five workers at the flagship store on North Point Street called on visitors to boycott the must-see tourist attraction in the city and walked off the job Thursday.
Union workers at the original shop — represented by the Unite Here Local 2 union — are on a three-day strike over costs surrounding healthcare coverage.
On the picket line, workers handed out flyers that read “Greedy Ghiradelli breaks the law,” calling for a boycott of the original shop.
“While proposing to cut workers they are refusing to disclose how much they receive from a 6% healthcare fee they charge customers,” a flyer on social media from the union read.
“They refuse to give us that information,” Diego Huerta, a cashier, told KTVU.
“They want to take away our healthcare and they’re not willing to be transparent about how they pay for the healthcare.”
A closed sign could be seen on the door of the original shop which is represented by union employees. Two nearby stores in the square-that do not have union workers-remain open.
The company said in a statement they value and respect their employees and “the important contributions they make to Ghirardelli.”
“We are currently in active contract negotiations with the union and are committed to bargaining in good faith. Our main focus right now is on reaching an agreement that supports our employees and ensures the long-term success of our business,” the statement added.
The union said they are currently offering their workers a healthcare plan, but the company wants that to change and bring employees under their own plan.
Union rep, Sonya Karable, said if this happens “workers will have higher co-pays.”
“Right now when they go to the emergency room they’re paying $50. And that means it could go up to hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
On top of all that, workers say with their low wages they can’t afford to pay more for healthcare, with workers earning between $19 to $25 an hour.
The three-day strike is expected to last until Saturday night at 10 p.m. — no word yet on when the shop will reopen. The original shop was founded by Domingo Ghirardelli in the heart of San Francisco in 1852, per the website.
The iconic spot has been a popular one for decades with millions of tourists making the Ghirardelli Square a can’t-miss destination when they come to the city by the Bay, per NBC News.
The Post reached out to the company and union for more information.
Read the full article here
