RC Petition Filed for Union Elections at Four Hine Restaurants in DC

An RC petition filed with the National Labor Relations Board's Region 05 seeks representation elections for employees at four Washington, D.C. restaurants operated by Hine Restaurants LLC. The filing, logged Feb. 4, 2026 as Case No. 05-RC-380502, names the businesses as Eastern Point Collective, The Duck and The Peach, La Collina, and The Wells.

The petition initiates a formal NLRB process that can lead to a secret-ballot election on whether staff want union representation. The filing does not list a petitioner by name. If a majority of voting employees choose representation, Hine Restaurants LLC would be legally obligated to recognize and bargain with that union on wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.

Workers in restaurants often cite scheduling practices, tip distribution, predictable hours, and health and safety protections as key concerns. An election covering these four venues could unite front-of-house workers such as servers and bartenders with back-of-house staff like line cooks and dishwashers, depending on how the petition defines the bargaining unit. Unionization could introduce formal grievance procedures and collective bargaining for pay scales, overtime rules, scheduling notice, and benefit structures that currently vary by location.

For restaurant managers and corporate leadership, an RC petition changes workplace dynamics by formalizing collective employee voice. Employers commonly respond to petitions by communicating with staff about the implications of union representation and by engaging in pre-election legal procedures. The NLRB staff will review the petition, determine eligibility of voters, and address any pre-election challenges before setting an election date. Those administrative steps typically occur over a period of weeks to months, depending on disputes over the proposed bargaining unit or other pre-election issues.

For employees, the filing signals a decision point: a campaign for votes will likely include outreach from union supporters and communications from management explaining its position. Practical stakes include potential changes to tip pools, scheduling predictability, access to paid leave and benefits, and protections around workplace safety and discipline. For Hine Restaurants LLC, outcomes could require allocating time and resources to bargaining and to implementing any negotiated agreements across multiple locations.

Next steps in the NLRB docket will clarify the precise bargaining unit and establish an election timeline. For staff at Eastern Point Collective, The Duck and The Peach, La Collina, and The Wells, the petition marks the formal start of a process that could reshape working conditions at these neighborhood restaurants and influence labor organizing in the city's dining sector.