When we organize, we win! After leading a two year fight against wage theft, sexual harassment, and unsafe working conditions, Liberato Restaurant workers have officially won, reaching a settlement and making positive change in the workplace! On Monday they received their first settlement checks.

Read further about the amazing victory here.

Spanish and English: 
Rosanna Rodriguez, co-director, Laundry Workers Center, [email protected]

Bronx, NY–Today, workers at New Capitol Restaurant in the Bronx went public with their campaign to end wage theft, verbal and physical abuse, and dangerous conditions in their workplace.

Surrounded by a crowd of 100 community supporters, New Capitol worker Teofilo Ríos delivered a letter to restaurant management demanding an end to unfair and unsafe conditions.

New York, NY—Ending a 2-month long public campaign to protest an August 31st closure of the 63rd street Hot and Crusty, workers announced today that they have come to a final agreement with the new ownership of the store, following several weeks of negotiations with investors Anthony Illuzzi and David Kay. Workers will return to the job in as little as three weeks under a new collective bargaining agreement that provides for a union hiring hall, paid vacation and sick time, wage increases, seniority and grievance and arbitration procedures. Widely regarded as a precedent-setting contract for the restaurant industry, The Hot and Crusty Workers Association enthusiastically welcomed news of the agreement.

Dear LWC and Liberato campaign supporters – At the request of the judge, Liberato workers have entered settlement talks with the restaurant to see if a fair agreement can be reached before trial. In addition, the judge is ordering an independent review of Mr. Liberato’s financial records–an important step for the campaign.

During this time the workers have asked everyone not to protest at Liberato Restaurant. As always we stand ready to join with the community and fight for justice in the workplace and beyond!

Hi-res photos available

New York, NY — A leader of the NYC-based Laundry Workers Center (LWC) said he received a death threat Monday night, during a rally of over seventy people outside Liberato Restaurant, a popular Bronx establishment. LWC co-director Mahoma Lopez, along with members of the worker center and several community groups and labor unions, was protesting the firings of three workers last weekend at the restaurant.

“Someone came out of the restaurant and approached me at the picket line,” Lopez said. “He told me to be careful because the company already has five hit men with guns.”

Picket details: https://www.facebook.com/events/618623021607314/

Since April 2014, Liberato workers with the support of the Laundry Workers Center have been engaged in a steadfast campaign against their employer protesting wage theft. After a year of trying to defeat workers from raising the issue of their stolen wages & other bad working conditions they were subjected to, through picketing and litigation the employer fought back suing for defamation and a bringing a false RICO charge against the workers. His approach has been to admit nothing, deny everything and issue counter charges while maintaining illegal pay practices. Now as the wage theft trial is approaching, Liberato attempted to “resolve” these issues out of Court with a bogus offer to settle. The offer was unreasonably low and required the workers who were still employed to leave. The workers refused, at which point three leaders of the campaign were immediately fired. On the same evening of the firings, another worker at home, noticed someone taking pictures of her car and license plate. In our opinion, by firing these workers Liberato has shown that his real interest was to rid the ranks of his employees of those seeking proper pay and an intent to continue to violate the law. Indeed after a year of being on notice of his failure to pay minimum wage and overtime he has not changed his pay practices one bit. He has tried to paint himself as the victim of a campaign to drive him out of business when the reality is he has benefited from his policies of violating wage and hour laws.

Laundry Workers Center is thrilled to announce that Moraima Ortiz and Kenny Bakery have reached an amicable agreement. Moraima Ortiz, an immigrant woman and a real fighter has inspired other women to speak out about their working conditions.

Round-the Clock Protests and Heightened Public Pressure Force Employer to Negotiate Unprecedented Agreement with Union to Reopen Restaurant

New York, NY, September 10, 2012—Following an escalating week-long campaign against the August 31st closure of Upper East Side restaurant Hot and Crusty, resulting in the loss of 23 jobs, workers announced both sides had reached an agreement to reopen the store, rehire terminated workers and resume bargaining with the union, the Hot and Crusty Workers Association. Public protests against the closure, which workers and supporters claim was a direct attack on the newly formed independent union, led to an occupation of the store by members of Occupy Wall Street, resulting in 6 arrests, and daily picketing and leafleting in the surrounding Upper East Side community. Lawyers representing new ownership of the company contacted the union over the weekend seeking to immediately put an end to the ongoing labor dispute.

Workers Allege Retaliatory Store Closure is an Employer Tactic to Break Recently Formed Union, the Hot and Crusty Workers Association

New York, NY, August 3, 2012 – Following news of an impending store closure, workers at the 63rd street location of Hot and Crusty bakery have called for a 24-hour picket and store occupation, alleging the company has deliberately withheld rent payments following a hard-fought and successful unionization drive in May 2012. The company, owned by private equity partner Mark Samson, gave the Hot and Crusty Workers Association 11 days notice of eviction from the property, informing employees that August 31st would be their last day.