Ownership has chosen to close The SunTrapp instead of working with her employees. Please support those on strike affected by this sudden and illegal closure!
On the Closure of the Bar:
We are heartbroken that Mary Peterson has decided to close the doors of The SunTrapp.
But make no mistake: this closure is the direct result of her decision to engage in a series of unfair labor practices rather than work with the very employees who make this historic space thrive. On September 26, we delivered a letter requesting voluntary recognition and a fair process. Her response was to institute a wave of new, punitive policies clearly designed to intimidate and entrap staff. Shortly afterward, she fired our head of security — a key union supporter who had been present for the delivery of our letter — in blatant retaliation for protected union activity. This is a choice, not an inevitability.
We did not strike on a whim or to demand instant recognition. We were forced into a ULP (Unfair Labor Practice) strike after management’s coercive actions made it impossible to work safely, lawfully, and with dignity. Through every step of this strike, we have made attempts to negotiate with management. Mary Peterson has a clear path forward: rescind the illegal firing, roll back the coercive policies, and allow a fair election to proceed. Instead, she has decided to splurge on lawyers, additional security, and to eat the cost of her pride in lost business. Closing the bar and blaming the workers for problems she could solve at literally no cost is bewildering.
We organized out of love for The SunTrapp and the community it represents. We expected Mary Peterson to respect us — the workers who make her bar run — or at least to behave as a rational actor in this. We want to preserve The Suntrapp’s legacy as a safe, inclusive space for everyone. And it still can be: Mary can still correct these illegal practices and have a functional, busy, and safe bar tomorrow. All she needs to do is reverse her unfair labor practices and allow us to proceed to a fair election. We will be happy to return to work in the meantime!
We are Suntrapp Workers United!
We promise to protect this sacred space for the Utah queer community and to create an equitable workplace for the lovely staff.
We will be the first unionized bar in Salt Lake City and are working to improve the conditions of all service workers in Utah. We are deeply invested in safeguarding the Suntrapp’s legacy of inclusivity and ensuring the safety of every worker and patron. We want nothing more than to secure the bar’s future as a beacon of progress and fight for the empowerment of all service workers across Utah.