NLRB Orders Patina to Rehire Fired Organizer and Pay Back Wages

Overview

• The National Labor Relations Board on June 19, 2026 issued a formal complaint directing Patina Restaurant Group to reinstate 25‑year‑old Julissa Ruiz and provide back pay, and it set a trial for September 15 if Patina does not comply.
• Ruiz was suspended and then fired after participating in a public union drive with UNITE HERE Local 737, and the NLRB says the company’s stated reason for the firing—wearing a single earbud—was a pretext for retaliation.
• The complaint alleges a pattern of unlawful anti‑union tactics at Patina’s Disney properties, including surveillance of employees at EPCOT’s Space 220 and threats to eliminate desirable 'hybrid' job roles to deter organizing.
• Patina denies the NLRB’s allegations, says its actions were taken in good faith for non‑discriminatory reasons, and has signaled it will defend the case rather than accept the board’s remedy immediately.
• Supporters and elected officials, including Representative Maxwell Frost, have pressed Patina to comply and said the outcome could affect labor rights and organizing strategies for subcontracted workers across Walt Disney World.