NLRB complaint says Disney Springs operator wrongfully fired union organizer

A federal labor complaint wants Patina Group to put a fired Pizza Ponte cashier back on the job and pay her lost wages, a sharp warning for restaurant operators that discipline during an organizing drive can boomerang fast. The National Labor Relations Board’s regional director issued the complaint after Patina fired Julissa Ruiz in October 2024, and the proposed remedy is straightforward: reinstatement plus back pay.

Ruiz had become one of the public faces of an effort to organize a union at five Patina-operated restaurants on Disney property. The complaint ties her firing to that campaign, saying the move came after she took part in a flyering event, even though the stated reason was an earbud issue. For restaurant workers, that sequence matters because the same kind of minor rule enforcement that happens in any dining room can become evidence of retaliation when it lands in the middle of protected organizing activity.

The case also reaches beyond a single cashier. Ruiz had also spoken up about sexual harassment involving a supervisor, adding another layer to the dispute over why she was targeted. In restaurant operations, where managers often have wide discretion over appearance rules, equipment use, and floor discipline, those decisions can draw scrutiny fast if an employee has been active around wages, scheduling, safety, or union rights. At a high-visibility venue like Disney Springs, where the operator runs multiple restaurants on Disney property, the complaint signals that labor law risk does not stop at one location.

If Patina Group does not comply, the dispute will head to trial on September 15, 2026. That gives the case a long runway and keeps pressure on managers across the company’s Disney footprint, especially in tourist-district restaurants where staffing turnover, public visibility, and organizing drives can collide. For workers on the floor, the message is plain: a firing that looks routine on paper can turn into a reinstatement order and back pay when the timing lines up with protected concerted activity.