Congressional Democrats are boycotting six upscale restaurants in Washington – including three owned by Stephen Starr – in a show of support for restaurant workers attempting to unionize.
More than 50 high-profile Democrats, including former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, have signed a pledge to avoid eating at Starr's Osteria Mozza, Le Diplomate and The Occidental — and three other restaurants founded by chef Ashok Bajaj of Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, Axios reported Thursday.
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The pledge is being circulated by United Here Local 25, a union that represents hotel, restaurant and casino workers in the Washington metro region. Workers at Le Diplomate and two other Starr-owned restaurants – St. Anselm and Pastis – demanded Starr Restaurants voluntarily recognize them as a union in January, but Local 25 claims the company instead has engaged in union-busting tactics.
The six restaurants subject to the boycott – which do not include St. Anselm and Pastis – have long been political hotspots. Over the last year, political groups and candidates have spent thousands of dollars at the restaurants, Axios reported, citing federal campaign records.
Former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama were spotted at Osteria Mozza in April. Former President Joe Biden has dined and ordered from Le Diplomate over the years, including a 2021 meal with Jill Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff.
Lawmakers who have signed the pledge also include Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Jared Golden (D-ME), Greg Landsman (D-OH) and Greg Casar (D-TX), as well as Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).
"With these restaurants that are frequented so much by members of Congress, our boycott of fundraisers and visiting could have a real impact — could really help these workers," Casar told Axios. "This is our opportunity when we're here in Washington, D.C. to not just go vote in the Capitol but actually go out in the community and make a difference."
Local 25 claims Starr workers at Le Diplomate, St. Anselm and Pastis were offered raises and promotions to campaign against the union and that Starr Restaurants hired "anti-union persuaders" to campaign against the union every day. When workers at St. Anselm voted to join Local 25 in February, Starr Restaurants filed objections, according to Local 25.
Starr Restaurants also reportedly successfully petitioned the National Labor Relations Board to cancel a unionization election at Le Diplomate in March, accusing the union of using bullying and intimidation tactics.
Local 25 has been accused of using aggressive tactics to get employees to sign cards in favor of unionizing. In February, Eater DC reported that the union went to employees' homes and demanded signatures after hours.
On Thursday, Starr Restaurants called the need for a Democratic boycott "baseless," saying that a majority of Le Diplomate employees have no interest in joining a union.
"A boycott of any kind can result in lost hours, wages, and tips that our hardworking employees rely upon," a Starr Restaurants spokesperson said in an email. "It is unfortunate that an organization that claims to want to represent the employees of Le Diplomate would call for an action that would harm them."
