Casa Bonita Workers Are Officially on Strike

Anybody planning to go to Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s giant pink Mexican novelty restaurant this Halloween is sure to encounter a spooky sight: a picket line full of underpaid workers. 

We’ve mentioned before that performers at the newly-unionized Casa Bonita recently took issue with management’s plan to eliminate characters like “Black Bart, Captain Isabella, Amazon Ani and the Sheriff” (not to mention Manbearpig) during the Halloween season, thus screwing over the workers behind those roles.

Actors’ Equity Association, the union that represents the performers, argued that randomly scrapping employees’ hours was an “illegal” and “retaliatory” tactic, conveniently occurring during the union’s very first Casa Bonita contract negotiation. They also filed an Unfair Labor Practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board.

Actors’ Equity Association President Brooke Shields even posted a video of herself online in which she personally appealed to “Matt and Trey,” and urged them to “do the right thing” and “seriously” consider the requests of the workers who are still “not making a living wage.” 

As Denver's 9NEWS pointed out, “some Casa Bonita performers make $21 per hour,” while the “living wage calculator puts living in Denver at over $30 per hour.”

Last week, the union’s national council authorized a strike for Casa Bonita workers “should it become essential,” and this week, the Casa Bonita United Instagram account announced that the Colorado restaurant’s performers are officially “on strike.” 

“Casa Bonita management failed to deliver responses in contract bargaining that would move unionized workers towards a fair contract and a resolution to their outstanding Unfair Labor Practices charge,” the statement reads. 

“Casa management came to the table today offering an additional 11 cents over their last unfair wage offer, and very little for future layoff protections,” lead negotiator Andrea Hoeschen was quoted as saying. “Despite that insult, the negotiating team responded with major compromises to try to get a deal. And then Casa Bonita walked away from the table without responding.”

“We know they can pay the wages we’re asking for because they already pay basically the same wages to the servers and bartenders,” Hoeschen continued. “Their insistence on paying DOLLARS an hour less to the performers reflects a choice and a philosophy to devalue performers.”

Since the strike is coinciding with Halloween and planned “Casa BOOnita” events, Casa Bonita United is encouraging supporters to join them on the picket line in costume on October 31st. Those who can’t attend in person but still want to support the striking workers can always sign Casa Bonita United’s letter demanding fair wages and more adequate safety measures for staff.

If people do join the striking workers in costume, giant inflatable Cartman outfits seem to be a popular choice for protesters these days.