Tate's Bake Shop workers in New York said that management had threatened them with deportation over their attempts to form a union. Most of the bake shop's 432 employees are undocumented workers.

According to the National Labor Relations Act, undocumented workers have a lawful right to unionize. It also noted that workers are protected under the act despite their immigration status, We Are Mitu reported.

Tate's Bake Shop workers said the company threatened to contact the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if they continue with their plan to form a union next month. Workers also said that they are being harassed at work.

The employees spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of what the management may do with them,  Insider reported. The Mondelēz International owns Tate's Bake Shop cookies.

"They began threatening people based on their immigration status, telling them that if their documents are not in order and they attempted to join the labor union they would get deported," Cosmo Lubrano, president of Eastern States Joint Board union, told News 12. 

The employees started talking about the possibility of forming a union when the pandemic started, feeling that the company might not be able to protect them if they would be infected with the COVID-19.

Anthony Miranti, an Eastern States' union delegate, said at the time, workers did not know any of the rules applicable to them. 

Miranti noted that the workers were telling them that they are all at minimum wage and needed more paid time off, adding that nobody was listening to them.

Miranti further noted that workers who produce the said products should know that their job is secured and have a pension to retire someday.

Employees at the Tate's Bake Shop reportedly first approached the Eastern States Joint Board in the summer of last year.

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Response of Tate's Bake Shop Company

A spokesperson for Mondelēz International denied the allegations that the company has violated any aspect of the National Labor Relations Act.

The spokesperson noted that the company takes pride in treating all of its employees with respect, adding that they nurtured a caring working environment and culture with their workers.

Employees said the bakeshop giant hired California-based labor relations consultant Carlos Flores, who proclaimed himself to assist in staying "Union Free" through campaigns, according to a Gothamist report.

Kathleen King initially owned Tate's Bake Shop. King used to sell her homemade cookies on her father's farm in 1970 when she was 11.

King was eventually fired by her new partners after the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) noted that the employees under them endured verbal abuse, retaliation, and other union-busting techniques, Grub Street reported.

In 2018, Mondelēz International acquired the company for $500 million. Tate's Bake Shop was known for its buttery, thin chocolate chip cookies and earned public praises that include celebrities.

Mondelēz International also owns brands like Oreo, Chips Ahoy, and Ritz crackers. Tate's Bake Shop was named the best chocolate chip cookie on the market by Consumer Reports in 2011.

The employees will receive ballots from the NLRB on Mar. 26 and have until Apr. 21 to cast their vote on unionizing.

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