Workers at BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse in Modesto, California, are pushing to unionize, making it the first location in the chain to do so. The move comes in response to a tip-sharing policy that requires servers and bartenders to pay about 4% of their sales to back-of-house staff, even if customers don’t leave a tip—sometimes leaving servers in the negative. Employees say the policy has cut their paychecks by as much as 20% and was introduced after California raised fast-food wages. Organizers stress the union is meant to unite all staff, not divide them, and to fight for fair pay, predictable schedules, and workplace respect. A union vote is scheduled for September 26.
See "BJ’s workers move to form first union over controversial tip-sharing policy", Julietta Bisharyan, The Fresno Bee, September 15, 2025