Labor
Businesses struggling to hire new employees as they reopen in Redding
ABC Redding 2/19
On Friday, Cindy Lamkin, Owner of Tortilla Flats restaurant in Redding spoke with KRCR about their struggles to hire employees after having to reduce their staff size during state COVID restrictions. “Some of the people that I have called that are past employees, I said are you ready to work and they said no we are just going to stay on unemployment right now,” said Lamkin.
The Girl & the Fig reopens after weeklong closure over Black Lives Matter mask controversy
San Francisco Chronicle 2/19
About a week after the Girl & the Fig closed amid a backlash over a former employee’s Black Lives Matter mask, the Sonoma restaurant is back open for takeout and outdoor dining.
Food Industry Policy
When will crowded SF bars and restaurants return, now that we have a vaccine? Two experts weigh in.
SFGATE 2/21
COVID-19 vaccinations are slowly being rolled out and the promise of a return to normalcy finally seems within grasp. For those of us with a love for restaurants and bars, it feels like the start of a hopeful time when we can finally start dreaming of lingering over a dinner with a friend, or perhaps being in the throes of a gloriously packed bar.
Every Major Gig Company Has Now Raised Prices In California After Prop. 22
Forbes 2/19
Labor advocates say gig companies raising prices is a “corporate bait and switch.” Gig companies argued that making drivers employees would raise prices, but fees are still going up anyway.
On the Side
Pandemic restaurant closures produce glut of used equipment
AP News 2/19
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced tens of thousands of restaurants to permanently shut their doors as dining restrictions keep customers away. But it has also been a boon for commercial auctioneers that buy used equipment and sell them to restaurants that managed to stay afloat, particularly ones that have expanded their takeout business and are eager to snatch up supplies at bargain prices.
East Bay Restaurants Band Together to Boost Business Amid Pandemic
CBS Fan Francisco 2/19
In the Tri Valley, the coronavirus pandemic is forcing the restaurant industry to come up with new ways to drum up business. The result: Taste Tri-Valley, a restaurant week-type program to help businesses survive.
