The Knead Slice Shop at N. 3rd and Boas streets
A growing Harrisburg pizza business has decided to close permanently, just after a group of employees announced that they would seek to unionize.
On Tuesday, Knead Pizza announced on social media sites its decision to shut both its original location in the Broad Street Market and Knead Slice Shop at the corner of N. 3rd and Boas streets.
In addition, Knead, which was founded in 2016, was in the process of opening a third location on Cameron Street in Harrisburg.
Reached by TheBurg, co-owner Jennie O’Neill declined further comment, but confirmed that the social media posts were accurate and that the business had ceased operations immediately.
Last Friday, a group of Knead workers announced an effort to unionize the company’s 11 employees, stating that they had filed for an election with the National Labor Relations Board to join Unite Here Local 274, which is based in Philadelphia.
The announcement stated that a majority of Knead’s employees workers approved of the unionization effort and that a petition requesting voluntary recognition of the union had been delivered to the company’s owners.
“Knead workers are committed to win job projections, including life sustaining work schedules and health benefits,” according to a press statement.
In its social media post announcing its closure, Knead referenced the unionization effort:
“We respect the right of workers to organize under the National Labor Relations Act or other appropriate law,” said the Instagram post. “We hope our workers will recognize our related right as an employer, especially a small employer, during these extremely difficult operational times, to close our entire business operation. We continue to wish our employees well.”
In its post, Knead said it was “heartbroken” by the closure, but would remain closed “regardless of the outcome or the occurrence of the requested union election.”
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