August 7th: Phone Zap in Solidarity with Striking Pie Hole Workers

Call from striking workers at Pie Hole to participate in a phone-zap campaign on Friday, August 7th to show solidarity with their ongoing struggle.

Workers at Pie Hole, a pizza chain based in Boise, Idaho, have been on strike since July 3rd, after being fired for organizing for a living wage and input into safety measures at their shop. As local media reports, the owners responded to the courage of Pie Hole workers—who stood up to bosses in the midst of record unemployment—by trying to force them to train scabs to replace them, and then firing them when they refused.

On strike at "Pie Hole" in #Boise since July 3rd, workers have been picketing for three weeks, after several were fired for organizing for higher wages. Now bosses are saying workers must train scabs to replace them or be fired. Here's how you can help. https://t.co/8CRmkpp4bH pic.twitter.com/auQMOMMUK2

— It's Going Down (@IGD_News) July 28, 2020

In response, the workers have picketed their storefront during peak hours for three weeks straight. Last Friday, they held a phone zap that clogged up the lines for delivery during the same period. They’ve received a tremendous outpouring of support from labor unions, activist groups, and the general public—a welcome sign given that this may be the first such strike in Boise in decades. But the bosses continue to refuse to negotiate with the workers, falsely believing that the rest of the movement will leave them hanging in their hour of need.

Phone Zap

The Pie Hole owners are currently surviving almost entirely on their delivery business. With the drop in walk-ins due to the pandemic, there is a huge concentration of deliveries in the Friday and Saturday evening rushes. We can support striking workers by blowing up Pie Hole’s phones right in the middle of this period, preventing the bosses from taking phone deliveries.

WHO TO CALL: Pie Hole Boise on Broadway, (208) 424-2225.

WHEN: Friday, August 7th at 5-8PM PDT / 6-9PM MDT / 7-10PM CDT / 8-11PM EDT

WHAT TO SAY: “I’m calling in support of the workers at Pie Hole who were fired for organizing for a living wage and safety. No one should be fired for fighting for their basic rights in the middle of a pandemic. I’m demanding that all workers get reinstated at their jobs, and that they be allowed to organize without fear of reprisals!”

It’s likely that phones will be picked up by ordinary workers, so be nice if they’re willing to chat! Feel free to explain why you’re calling in solidarity and take up as much time as possible on your call.

Review Blast

Much of Pie Hole’s delivery business comes through third party apps. Potential customers often base their ordering decisions on online ratings. One study found that a one-star decrease in a restaurant’s Yelp rating can lower a restaurant’s revenue by 5-9%. This is equal to the entire profit margin of most successful food service businesses. To keep it simple: Tanking someone’s Yelp rating is a big deal.

Pie Hole workers are asking us to help them bring the bosses to the table by bringing their ratings down on Yelp and Google. Each platform has algorithms to help filter out reviews, but there are some simple ways to get around them:

Show your solidarity with Pie Hole workers by letting the bosses know what you think about their mistreatment of our fellow workers!