Rolf's Patissiere Workers Announce Partial Victory, Plan to Keep Fighting

On Dec. 11, 2011, the 136 workers of Rolf's Patisserie in Lincolnwood, Ill., were unceremoniously fired without even a day's warning. They were paid their final checks four days later--only to have them bounce.

Rolf's workers began organizing with Arise Chicago to demand that their former boss, Lloyd Culbertson, pay them what they are owed under the law: their final checks and 60 days severance pay, the latter of which is guaranteed to them under the federal WARN Act.

On January 19, 2012, Rolf's workers gathered to announce a partial victory. After organizing to pressure Culbertson to pay them what they are owed, workers have begun to receive the payment for their final bounced checks and their accrued vacation pay. The fees they accrued at currency exchanges and banks, however, remain unpaid; more importantly, they still have not received their WARN Act pay. Rolf's workers announced that they remain committed to fighting for all the pay owed them under the law.

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Arise Chicago builds partnerships between faith communities and workers to fight workplace injustice through education and organizing and advocating for public policy changes. Its Worker Center is a community resource for workers, both immigrant and native-born, to learn about their rights and join fellow workers to improve workplace conditions.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• wage
• theft
• arise
• chicago
• labor
• work
• lincolnwood
• picket
• protest
• bakery
• rolf's
• patisserie
• WARN