Bobcat Bonnie's workers reach agreement with owner canceling emergency picket
(Photo: Bobcat Bonnie's)
FOX 2 - An emergency picket by some Bobcat Bonnie's workers over the layoff of staff from the Ypsilanti location, is over.
An agreement has been reached for severance with the owner of Bobcat Bonnie's Matt Buskard, announced Bobcat United.
"We feel Matt has done his part to make things right with the Ypsilanti staff, but we encourage him to continue working towards solutions to the grievances raised in the petition delivered October 7th.
"This is a huge win for food service workers everywhere. It’s incredibly rare for a small chain to close and offer severance to their employees."
A group of 11 employees from the temporarily closed Ypsilanti location delivered a petition claiming it was signed by 90 percent of the staff, making accusations of bounced paychecks, inconsistent scheduling, asking for better training systems and to "stop inappopriate comments from management."
Bobcat United however is urging customers to return.
"We are calling a stop to the emergency picket at the Ferndale location effective immediately. We encourage you to continue visiting the other locations, tell your staff you support them, and as always, tip fat!!"
Buskard for his part, also released a statement. He thanked the Bobcat United group for keeping negotiations civil and professional.
Related: Ex-Bobcat Bonnie's employees speak out after chain's Ypsilanti location closes
"Going forward, the management team and I are dedicated to listening to all of our employees as we work together to create a fun and inviting dining experience for our guests," he said in the statement. "I am looking forward to implementing quite a few changes across the board at Bobcat Bonnie's restaurants effective immediately."