PRESS ADVISORY: LA Councilmember Curren Price, State Senators Durazo, Smallwood Cuevas and More Rally to Save Original Pantry Cafe Jobs Ahead of Riordan Trust’s Threat to Close Sunday Inbox

Los Angeles: Political leaders like Los Angeles Councilmember Curren Price, State Senator Lola Smallwood Cuevas, and others plan to rally alongside Pantry workers to urge the Richard J. Riordan Trust to resolve the labor dispute and pull back from its decision to close the Pantry.

Earlier this week, the Original Pantry workers and the union representing them, UNITE HERE Local 11, met with The Richard J. Riordan Trust, who since Mr. Riordan’s passing in 2023, has assumed control of the historic restaurant.

 The Richard J. Riordan Trust continues to be set on its intention to close the restaurant on Sunday, March 2nd at 5pm. In negotiations, The Pantry reasserted its ultimatum to employees: The restaurant will shut down and fire all workers unless workers give up their demand for job security and continued union representation when the restaurant changes hands.

The Pantry threatened to close the restaurant despite the over one hundred letters from customers urging the Trust to keep the restaurant open.

In spite of The Pantry’s threat, workers remain committed to saving their jobs, keeping their union, and maintaining the 100-year old institution open.

Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice and the community plans to have an Ash Wednesday action on March 5th between 7am-8am to gather and pray outside the Pantry, workers encourage the community to attend.