In the two weeks since World Cafe Live workers staged a walkout to protest their new management, nearly a dozen employees have been fired and are under threat of legal action.
Workers at the University City music venue — a staple of the West Philadelphia music and arts community — walked out to protest an “unacceptable level of hostility and mismanagement” from new CEO Joseph Callahan on June 11. Several workers were subsequently fired, and shows were cancelled — but Callahan insists that there is “zero probability” of the venue closing.
WCL shares a building with WXPN — a Penn-owned radio station — but operates as a separate nonprofit.
WCL was founded for artists and audiences in 2004 as “a welcoming space for the community with exceptional hospitality.” Its partnership with WXPN helped create “a new clubhouse for the Philadelphia music community,” with physical and virtual platforms for artists to be heard.
A request for comment was left with Callahan.
“Recent events involving former staff and new leadership at World Cafe Live have sparked strong public reaction, community concern, and widespread discussion,” WXPN wrote in a press release.
Sophia Mattes — the former box office night manager — read a statement outside the venue on June 11. Workers were demanding “on-time and accurate pay,” job security, and “a commitment to local Philly artists and guests.”
The protest disrupted the venue’s usual programming, halting a jazz jam session upstairs while Suzanne Vega continued to perform her concert downstairs. Outside, workers held signs with statements like “Respect Philly Music” and chanted “hey hey, ho ho, Joe Callahan has got to go.”
An Instagram account run by former WCL workers said that 10 employees were “terminated.” Mattes and at least four others received termination letters the day after the walkout. Two additional staff members, not involved in the walkout, were also reportedly fired. WCL has confirmed that all employees who participated in the protest were “terminated with cause.”
“There’s no communication about how to deal with these demands that we brought up to them, which shows a total disregard for the artists that are supposed to be playing, or how it affects the guests that are coming in, who have paid for their nights,” guest services worker Novalee Wilcher told The Philadelphia Inquirer.
WCL leadership is considering legal action against the protesters — according to a statement from the public relations firm OtterPR — citing violations such as “Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce under the Hobbs Act” and “Trespassing and Unlawful Disruption of Business Operations.”
“Joe Callahan and his staff have never been a part of the WCL family,” Mattes said. “They have not experienced the WCL experience that makes WCL what we all know and love.”
Callahan — a Philadelphia-born tech entrepreneur — became CEO in April. Former CEO and founder Hal Real’s departure followed the venue’s announcement of $6 million in debt and a pivot toward integrating virtual reality into live performances — a plan some staff members say feels out of step with the venue’s community roots.
In an interview with the Inquirer last week, Callahan said he is committed to keeping WCL open and financially stable, despite the venue facing nearly $6 million in debt and monthly losses of up to $70,000 before his arrival in May. A Northeast Philadelphia native, Callahan pledged that the venue will not close and that he will personally handle show bookings until a new program coordinator is hired.
“Joe might be a Philadelphia native, but this man has absolutely no idea what Philadelphia wants or needs,” Mattes told the Inquirer.
The backlash comes at a time of heightened awareness on Penn’s campus around labor and equity. A June 12 Research Associates and Postdocs United at Penn rally outside of a University Board of Trustees meeting advocated for the group’s right to “unionize for better healthcare, international protections, and higher pay.”
“The current dispute between former staff and new management at World Cafe Live has been shaped by miscommunication and confusion during a time of transition and change,” WXPN wrote in its member and listener newsletters. “WXPN is calling for constructive and immediate dialogue among those involved and encourages all parties to prioritize the long-term sustainability of this important cultural asset—and the artists who rely on it.”
Despite threats of legal action and permanent bans from the venue, staff say they are open to negotiation if management is willing to meet.
“We are Philly, we love Philly, we need Philly,” Mattes said at the protest. “We want to keep Philly independent.”
