Some 70 people gathered at Oaks Corner Restaurant in Emeryville last weekend to protest the English-only policy imposed on its workers. Toting signs that read, “Fair Contract Now” and “Justice on the Job,” workers and activists chanted: “Oaks, Oaks you’re no good! Treat your workers like you should!”

The protesters, who included representatives from the Northern California Coalition for Immigrant Rights and the Asian and Pacific American Labor Alliance, say that the year-old “English-only” policy requires employees to use only that one language to speak with one another—which many find difficult. Moreover, they say, restaurant owner Bryan Cadinha and manager John Tibetts want the policy included in the workers’ union contract.

“But if they put it in the contract, it’s as if we said it’s OK. And for a lot of us, our English is not that great.” said Tommy, a cook who spoke through an intepreter and did not wish to reveal his last name.

In fact, English is a second language for 45 of the 50 employees, said Hotel Employees and Restaurant Union Local 2850 representative Wei-Ling Huber. Ironically, the business often relies on its employees’ native language abilities to converse with customers who are non-English speaking, say union representatives.

One woman, who talked on the condition of anonymity, said the rule put her “under a lot of pressure.We can speak to customers in our native language, but we have to speak to each other in English. It is difficult to keep straight,” she said.

One waiter, who has worked at the restaurant for nearly 20 years said “nobody like it. We talk about work—how a customer like it—to the cook. It is difficult in English. But if we don’t speak English, we get in trouble.”

He added that manager “walk around and catch [people].” According to the union, three employees have received written warnings this month for talking to one another in Cantonese.

Union leaders fear that workers could be fired for speaking in their native languages if the wording is allowed into the contract. Though managers could not be reached for comment, Huber said they have stated that the policy was intended to improve communication between workers.

However, most of the customers interviewed felt the policy was wrong. “It sucks,” said J.R. Sundowner, a regular customer who goes to the restaurant twice a week. “If no customer is involved, they should be free to speak in their own language.”