NEW YORK (AP) -- Workers at two of the city's best-known and priciest restaurants went on strike Tuesday in a dispute centering on management's demand that workers start paying for part of their health coverage.þþ``If we let them get away with this, next contract instead of taking a finger they will take a whole arm,'' said Leon Lahuec, a wait captain picketing the ``21'' Club at lunchtime.þþMeanwhile, negotiations resumed Tuesday at ``21'' and La Caravelle, the other restaurant where workers walked out. They were the first bargaining sessions since talks broke down Friday.þþMembers of the Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees Union voted Oct. 25 to authorize a strike against 25 restaurants, including ``21'' and La Caravelle, but had continued to work until Tuesday's job action.þþBrooks Bitterman, a union spokesman, said walkouts at other restaurants were possible later in the week.þþThe ``21'' club was open only for private parties Tuesday, while La Caravelle opened for dinner. Both brought in temporary workers to help management.þþ``We were caught by surprise,'' said Rita Jammet, who owns La Caravelle with her husband.þþDiana Biederman, a spokeswoman for ``21,'' said in a statement, ``Our service staff have the best jobs in the restaurant business; they will still have the best jobs when this job action is over.''þþDozens of workers picketed in front of the two midtown eateries. At ``21,'' workers chanted, ``No contract, no peace!'' and shouted ``Shame on you!'' to the few patrons who went in.þþNicholas Wolf, a cook, said forcing workers to pay for part of their health coverage would set a bad precedent. ``Ever since this place has opened, we've never paid a co-pay,'' he said.þþThe restaurants are asking workers to pay $5 a week toward their coverage in the first year of the contract, $10 in the second year and $15 in the third year.þþ``That's a strike issue for us,'' Bitterman said. ``We can't open that door.''þþBut Jammet said that with increases from La Caravelle's insurance carrier, the restaurant had to ask employees to contribute.þþ
Source: NY Times
