 |
|
July 28, 2008
DOL To Announce Back Wage Settlement for Restaurant Workers After Crackdown
Contact: Contact: Irene Tung (718) 755-6750 or (718) 418-7690 x 231 irene.tung@maketheroad.org
***For Immediate Release*** July 28th, 2008
DOL To Announce Huge Back Wage Settlement
For Restaurant's Workers
After Crackdown
Upscale Italian
Restaurant Agrees to Pay $136,633.73
In Back Wages to
Immigrant Workers
WHAT: Press
conference with New York State Department of Labor Deputy Commissioner Terri
Gerstein to announce settlement for Pesce Pasta Restaurant workers. Rodrigo
Vázquez, worked 13 hours a day, six days a week in the kitchen of the popular
Trattoria Pesce Pasta, on the East Side, and
was never paid overtime. Tired of the exploitation, he left in July 2007.
Vázquez is a member of Make the Road New York, which organized a protest in
front of the restaurant in December. The Department of Labor became involved after they read
the Daily News coverage of the protest and reached out to Make the Road New
York about the case. Their investigation
showed that several other workers at the restaurant were also owed back
wages. On May 31, the restaurant's owners agreed to pay
$136,633.73 in back wages, $23,000 of which will go to Vázquez. The employer has paid $60,000 to date.
WHEN: 11:30
AM, Monday July 28th, 2008
WHERE: 1079 1st Ave at 59th St.
WHO: Terri
Gerstein, New York State Department of Labor, Deputy Commissioner for Wage and Immigrant Services
Rodrigo Vasquez, former Pesce Pasta
employee
Make the Road New York
**** PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
****
More on: Workplace Justice 
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 Historic Paid Sick Days Victory in NYC!New York City just became the largest city in the U.S.to win paid sick days! On May 8, 2013, the City Council passed legislation to require paid sick days for one million New Yorkers. Without this critical legal protection, workers risk losing their jobs for taking a sick day. When workers go in to work sick, they put the public and their co-workers at risk of disease.
Starting April 2014, all workers will be protected from being fired if they must take a sick day to care for themselves or a sick family member, and workers at larger employers will receive 5 paid days of sick leave each year.
This major workplace justice and public health victory is the product of a four-year campaign led by courageous workers and small businesses who stood up for what’s right. We thank our partners at the Working Families Party, the NYS Paid Family Leave Coalition, SEIU 32BJ, the Progressive Caucus, Speaker Quinn and Council Members Brewer and Ferreras, for standing with us for NYC’s workers. 
|
|
|
