The long-awaited reopening of what’s now Stephen Starr’s Babbo is one of the hottest reservations in town, a caldron of buzz for more reasons than one. Starr hired Mark Ladner, Mario Batali’s former right hand, who started at sibling spot Lupa (that Starr also purchased) and rose the ranks to lead the kitchen at what became the Michelin-starred Del Posto. But Babbo also has ghosts to contend with: Batali exited the company in 2017 after a sexual harassment scandal. On at least one occasion, Scabby the Union Rat and a few protestors have held “BOYCOTT BABBO” signs.

The rat has come up from D.C., where activists have pushed to unionize workers and filed complaints against Starr with the National Labor Relations Board over alleged labor law violations at three of his biggest D.C. restaurants: Starr’s nearly two-year-old French bistro Pastis, seven-year-old steakhouse St. Anselm (the original NY locations of each are not involved in any unionization efforts), and Le Diplomate, Starr’s perennially packed brasserie on 14th Street since 2013.

Screenshot

United Here 25 has been targeting these D.C. restaurants since January, alleging “unjust working conditions” like lack of health insurance and sick time. Some workers, along with a D.C. Starr restaurant rep, claim the union used “coercive tactics” to intimidate workers to side with the union particularly at St. Anselm, “promising immigration assistance in exchange for voting yes … unfairly and inappropriately influenced” the results. (Pastis staff voted no and the union is still pushing for Le Diplomate, though the staff opted not to hold a vote.)

Now the group has moved north, targeting Babbo. Diners may have to cross or pass picket lines (whether or not they contain actual Starr employees), to enter the restaurant to try Ladner’s cooking, which will feature Babbo classics like the 100-layer lasagna, and beef-cheek ravioli.

Meanwhile, workers allegedly protesting the unionization efforts have posted a website called “Serving the Truth.” “Workers at Le Diplomate, Osteria Mozza, The Occidental and Pastis have made their choice: no union,” it reads. “In fact, union interest among workers in three of the four restaurants is so low that UNITE HERE Local 25 has never even asked for a vote.But Unite Here Local 25 continues to push a false story.”

According to Benjy Cannon, director of communications at Unite Here 25, which represents 7,000 restaurant, hotel, and casino workers around D.C., the rat appeared because, “I thought it was tasteless and gross that Stephen Starr chose to keep the Babbo name given the accusations against the chef when it was last open. We’re asking New Yorkers to stay away.”

Starr, as we know, is no stranger to NYC. He owns Le Coucou, Upland, La Mercerie, Le Cafe Louis Vuitton, and Pastis (with Keith McNally), and even at legacy Buddakan, he just switched up the chef to Danny Bowien of Mission Chinese fame. In New York, he’s received little scrutiny over his labor practices – or if he has, he has come out unscathed.

Notably, the United Here protestors have not alleged wrongdoing at Babbo. Their objections remain with Batali’s history and Starr’s D.C. restaurants. In a release, the group said, “Stephen Starr is reviving Babbo in NYC years after its closure following allegations of sexual harassment against its previous chef, Mario Batali, when it was under different management,” continuing to cite only claims tied to Washington.

“One cook at Starr’s Pastis claimed a supervising chef grabbed her neck from behind and shook her,” the release states, adding, “Stephen Starr should take a stand against sexual harassment instead he abdicated responsibility saying in an anti-union [message] that sexual harassment is everywhere.”

“The Babbo boycott is an expansion of a months-long boycott of STARR-operated restaurants in Washington, D.C – Le Diplomate, The Occidental, and Osteria Mozza over the company’s union-busting,” the group continued.

Cannon says he expects the rat will make ongoing appearances outside Babbo. Starr’s team declined to comment.