Hs Lordships, a waterfront dining institution in Berkeley, announced Monday that the restaurant will remain open for its planned final week of operation — despite a service disruption over the weekend.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, customers reported that workers walked off the job during Sunday brunch in anger over what was described as “low severance pay.”
“A staff member came into the room we were in and announced to all the customers … that they found out that they will be getting $21 per year of employment in severance pay,” customer James M. Gregory told the Chronicle. “So the union members decided to protest that fact by all taking their breaks at the same time.”
The owners had announced in May that Hs Lordships would close July 1 after nearly 50 years in operation. A celebration brunch has been planned for that day.
On Monday, they reaffirmed their commitment to stay open but didn’t address the walkout or severance issues.
“As we have for 50 years, we are committed to our obligation to service our guests as we have in the past,” Specialty Restaurants CEO John Tallichet said in a statement. “We are equally committed to our obligation to our team members and complying with our contractual obligation with Unite Here.”
Attempts to reach the Unite Here union local that represents Hs Lordships workers were unsuccessful Monday. Tallichet was at the restaurant Monday, according to Berkeleyside’s Nosh.
“I’m here today because I want to show support and that I’m sorry for what happened,” he told the website’s staff and declined to talk about the severance offer.
The family-owned Specialty Restaurants Corp. was founded in 1969 by his father, David Tallichet. The company now owns more than 20 restaurants across the United States.
Details
199 Seawall Drive, Berkeley; 510-843-2733; www.hslordships.com