GDRA would like to thank our 2007-08 Founders Club Sponsors:

Sysco

Admiral Linen * Ben E. Keith Co. * Brothers Produce

Direct Energy *

Dr Pepper * Hardie's Fruit & Vegetable

Heartland Payment Systems *

Medical City Heart

Pepsi * Reliant Energy * Schepps Dairy *US Foodservice

Greater Dallas Restaurant Association Newsletter

January

2008

In This Issue

GDRA/ Reliant Energy Mystery Dine Around

Welcoming New GDRA Members!

PAC Pointer

Culinary Tour of Greece

Upcoming Events

Scholarship Applications Now Available

GDRA/ Reliant Energy Mystery Dine Around

It's the Mystery Dine Around held this time every year

With appetizers, entrees, desserts, wine and beer.

There won't be a parade for you to catch the beads

But we promise there will be plenty on the bus to meet your needs.

The only requirement is to reserve a seat and pre-pay

All the "scoop" is below so why not call TODAY!

mardi gras

The event is Tuesday, January 15, 2008 at 6:00pm. Meet at Dave & Buster's (Walnut Hill and I-75) to get your ticket and bus assignment. Load your designated bus and go to a mystery location for appetizer and a glass of wine and on to a second location for entrée and a glass of wine. Then it is back to Dave & Buster's for dessert or selected drink. Ben E. Keith Beverage Products will be available on each bus.

Cost for GDRA MEMBER is $50 (pre-paid) and NON-MEMBER-$75 (pre-paid). Please RSVP to Vanessa at

972-671-4372 or vterry@gdra.org by January 11. No refunds after that date. All no-shows will be charged. This is a sell-out event, so register TODAY!

Welcoming New GDRA Members!

New members that joined in December are:

Walter Lord - Kenichi Dallas, LP

Keith Bruneau - Slip Resistant Serv.

Gregory Moreauy - Gregory's Fine Dining

Tim Hutchins - Hutchins BBQ

Hedda Dowd - Rise Nº1

James Mullen - Chase Paymentech

Lisa Peters - Insight Worldwide Inc.

Catherine Wilson - Food, Friends And Comp.

Edwin Schwartz - BLT Steak Dalllas, LLC

Michael Yates - Outback Steakhouse

PAC Pointer - Card Check Legislation

The poorly named "Employee Free Choice Act", the No. 1 priority for organized labor this Congress, got approved by the House this year but hasn't made it through the Senate. The House approved H.R. 800 in March by a vote of 241-185. Although the Senate voted 51-48 for the bill in June, it fell nine votes short of the 60 needed to move the legislation forward. The votes were largely along party lines, with most Democrats supporting the legislation and most Republicans opposing it. Despite the National Restaurant Association's victory in the Senate, our industry's efforts have just begun. Unions will keep pressing for action.

Currently, the preferred method for determining whether or not employees want a union to represent them is a private-ballot election overseen by the National Labor Relations Board. The NLRB provides detailed procedures to ensure a fair election, free of fraud. Because of NLRB safeguards, employees may cast their vote confidentially, without peer pressure or coercion from unions or employers.

By replacing private-ballot elections with "card-check" elections, the legislation would let unions organize a workplace if a simple majority of workers signed a card.

NRA opposes "card-check" legislation. A worker's decision to join a union should be made in private in order to protect the worker from coercion by either union representatives or the employer.

Lawmakers should oppose Card Check because the process increases the risk of coercion: When a union tries to organize a workplace, workers sometimes face intimidation and pressure about how they should vote, from the union, management or both. Also, private ballots are a basic American right: America's political system is based on respect for individual liberty and democracy. · No one should have to reveal their vote.

Click here for more details on Card Check Legislation.

CULINARY TOUR OF GREECE

Tasting the Ambrosia and the Nectar of the Gods

May 31-June 14, 2008

Make plans to be a part an exciting culinary tour of Greece led by GDRA's own Gus Katsigris. The trip will take you to Olympia, Athens, Chania and beyond. The two-week excursion will highlight such culinary adventures as:

Ioannina, Metsovo: Cheese producer private tours and tastings, yoghurt and meat specialties; cooking demonstration.
Agrinion for tobacco, olives, orchards and rice factory visits.
Messolonghi visit of the inland sea with its natural habitats for fish and birds.
Wine and cheese tasting at Achaia Claus Winery in Patras.
Nafplion: Visit Nemea Winery.