Paul Revere by Cyrus Dallin, North End, Boston

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Sunday, March 30, 2014

No, of course not!



Corporations left on their own, without the pesky government and its regulations, would NEVER cheat their lowliest workers out of money.  NO!   NEVER! These poor corporations, conservatives will argue, are the backbone of our economy, and they create jobs!

That may be true in some instances, but here's what mega-huge franchise businesses have been caught doing:



Domino's Franchisees Settle Wage Theft Investigation In New York For $448,000 

The owners of 23 Domino's Pizza locations in New York agreed Thursday to pay workers nearly half a million dollars to settle a wage-theft investigation by the office of state Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman. Schneiderman's office says it uncovered a raft of labor law violations that occurred between 2007 and 2013 at the stores, which are owned by six franchisees. Those include delivery workers being paid below the $5.65 tipped minimum wage they were entitled to, workers not being paid for overtime worked beyond 40 hours, and delivery drivers not being fully reimbursed for their auto expenses. 

 The $448,000 restitution fund will be divvied up among 750 current and former Domino's workers, most of whom will get between $200 and $2,000. The settlement comes on the heels of a similar deal reached by Schneiderman's office last week, when it settled an investigation bringing nearly $500,000 to McDonald's workers in New York City who said they'd been shorted on pay. "The violations in these cases demonstrate a statewide pattern of Domino's franchisees flouting the law and illegally chiseling at the pay of minimum-wage workers, who struggle to survive," Schneiderman said in a statement. 

"My office will be relentless in pursuing fast-food employers who underpay the hardworking people who are the backbone of their operations." The franchisees have admitted to the violations, according to Schneiderman's office. The attorney general listed all of the franchisees and their restaurants, which span eight New York counties, on the state website.

[skip]


Fast Food Forward, the union-backed group that helped organized those strikes, issued a statement calling the Domino's franchise settlement a "huge victory." Naquasia LeGrand, a Brooklyn KFC employee and member of the group, also criticized companies like McDonald's and Domino's for distancing themselves from their franchisees' actions. "[F]ast food corporations like Domino’s and McDonald’s cannot hide from their responsibility for these unlawful practices," LeGrand said in the statement. "They’re the ones in control of the daily operations of their franchisees."



Wage war: Employers stealing millions from US workers 


 Workers nationwide are losing millions of dollars each week to wage theft as their employers, some unscrupulous, others scrambling to keep their businesses afloat, fail to pay the mandated minimum wage or overtime wages, or, in some cases, don't pay their employees at all. Wage theft is far more common than was known just a few years ago, according to a new report from the Research Institute on Social and Economic Policy at Florida International University. 

 "Employers are under a tight squeeze and looking for different ways to save money. Some are using wage theft as a business model to cut costs," said Cynthia Hernandez, co-author of the report. The research institute's study comes just as Florida is debating how to handle wage theft allegations. The state hasn't had a labor department since former Gov. Jeb Bush dismantled the department a decade ago.





And here're other fat cat business owners who stole hard-earned money from their employees (weren't these hogs rich enough from their restaurants, book sales, and teevee appearances?): 



 Mario Batali Settles Tip Lawsuit For $5.25 Million



 Wolfgang Puck's Catering Company Sued for Stealing Tips

30 comments:

okjimm said...

not only do MOST FF franchises treat employees badly....the food sucks. Sucks. Sucks.....and the upside is...the food sucks.

I can make better at home or find a decent locally owned bistro with better everything.

So...why is the TeaParty like a McDonalds....

...the food looks good on paper, but both are expensive and non nourishing. OK...off to the kitchen to make an Egg McJimm.

Les Carpenter said...

Damn those corporations for creating jobs, the gall of them. And to expect to makw profit nonetheless.

Bring on the feds. nationalize industries and businesses, replace that private sector managent with government bureaucrats and apparatchiks, hail the unquestioned honesty of the government.

USSA, being pushed by progressives everywhere.

Ducky's here said...

Fast food and restaurants seem to have displaced Wal-Mart from the headlines.

Remember the law suits against the Upper Crust pizza chain in Boston? I think they went bankrupt but what a parcel of rogues.

The nature of the American work force is being transformed and without some reasonable oversight we will continue this insane creation of an underclass.

Frida Van der Wiener said...

Batali is a liberal democrat fat cat.

The Dominos scoop was about some businessmen who own some restaurants, not Dominos corporate.

Still, wage theft is despicable and I'm glad they got busted.

Who, by the way, is arguing for no government whatsoever? Anarchists are hard to find.

BB-Idaho said...

Reason #37 why 'Trickle Down' does not work.

Shaw Kenawe said...

RN, this post is about employers STEALING from their low-paid employees. You seem not to have noticed that.


Frida (or whomever you're pretending to be today): I didn't post this on my blog knowing what the scoundrels' political leanings were. This post says NOTHING about Democrats or Republicans. You inserted that, not I. This post is about businesses that cheat their employees (mostly the low-paid help) out of money. It's rotten, no matter who does it.

And I didn't argue for no government. I noted that it is the conservatives who always complain that government regulations get in the way of businesses' profits and, therefore, creating jobs. Here is proof of how these particular businesses make their profits off of the backs of their low-paid help.

You and RN are the ones who read this post with a political agenda.

BB-Idaho: I think we can see how these particular businesses "trickle down" on their employees.

Shaw Kenawe said...

okjimm, I'd rather eat a pb&j sandwich than eat at a FF restaurant. I've never had good food in any FF restaurant.

Dave Miller said...

Shaw... i am always amazed at the viewpoint that says if we just relaxed regulations, business would magically hire more people.

Why would they? They are making good profit now, why would they willingly give up profit just to "create" jobs?

It just does not make sense.

Businesses will hire to meet demand for more product. They do not hire employees to create demand.

Believe me, even with a ton of regulations, at least in the conservative universe, businesses are raking it in now, as evidenced by record profits, stock prices and balance sheets.

You can bet if there was more demand, they'd hire more to meet it.

RN... we are not the USSA, as much as you, and other more libertarian/conservatives wish to claim it were true.

Sensible uniform regulation, across all 50 states, is something most businesses would love, but is opposed by the GOP and others because it usurps individual states rights.

I thought that battle was fought and won in the 1800's, but I guess not.

Les Carpenter said...

Oh, I noticed all right. Ya can bet your bippies I did. I also can read between the lines.

Agendas only stay hidden for so long.

billy pilgrim said...

i'll bet the employees steal just as much if not more from their employers. maybe not fast food but retail theft is huge.

Jerry Critter said...

RN - "Damn those corporations for creating jobs..."

Sorry, RN. It is not the corporations creating the jobs. It is their customers. The corporations do not hire one more person than they need. All you have to do is look at how quickly they lay off employees when the customers go elsewhere.

No demand, no jobs.

Les Carpenter said...

Thanks for that enlightenment Jerry. Yep, really needed that.

Anonymous said...

"Anarchists are hard to find."

i think you can look in the rethug party...their childish hatred of evrything the us gov.does suggests they'd love a libertarian-style, no govt. country...sorta like somalia...

The Wank Files said...

The conservatives feel guilty so they think every post shaw puts up is about them. wonder why?

SUAGMABeet said...

Do any of you? As best as I can tell, the majority of commenters here are regular people who are well known folks, folks who lie, folks who cut and past other work , work that has been done by more intelligent people. the these Hyenas. .
Am I missing something?

Ray Cranston said...

"Am I missing something?"

Yes. An effing brain.

The Wank Files said...

FBI: The Most Dangerous Cities in the United States: Top 10

Camden, New Jersey (GOP Gov.)
Flint, Michigan (GOP Gov.)
Detroit, Michigan (GOP Gov.)
Oakland, California (Dem. Gov.)
St. Louis, Missouri (Dem. Gov.)
Cleveland, Ohio (GOP Gov.)
Gary, Indiana (GOP Gov.)
Newark, New Jersey (GOP Gov.)
Bridgeport, Connecticut (Dem.Gov.)
Birmingham, Alabama (GOP Gov.)


The FBI data tracks violent and property crimes.

Of the TOP TEN most violent cities in the US, 7 of them are in states with Republican Governors.

Jerry Critter said...

Thanks, RN. I am always willing to help enlighten you.

okjimm said...

yessirree Bob....with out rules and regulations imposed by the government...corporations would.... be able to create new jobs in ....environmental clean up

http://www.wral.com/duke-energy-wants-to-regain-your-confidence-after-coal-ash-spill/13505441/

...creat more jobs..in environmental clean up industry

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/11/us/west-virginia-chemical-spill.html?_r=0

create thousands of jobs in....environmental clean up jobs

http://www.theverge.com/2014/3/24/5542940/bp-oil-spill-heart-defects-tuna-amberjack


...but of course they won't...they will let the government take care of it at taxpayers expense. See, the Corporations do not create jobs.....the nasty Government does.


gimmee a PB&J and add some banana..

Anonymous said...

Wank Files:

But all those cities are run by democrats.

So a republican state enjoys calm, low crime and prosperity, but it's democrat run city is the opposite.

What does that tell you?

Anonymous said...

good thing customers create jobs. What came first the company or the customer?

Anonymous said...

But those cities were turned into hell holes by democrat policies

Les Carpenter said...

I'm sure you enjoy trying Jerry. :-)

Les Carpenter said...

Hey anon, life is simple when ya run on one brain cell.

But if you're specifically taking about the democrat shitbags that ran Detroit then you'd be absolutely right.

Anonymous said...

1.Camden, NJ —Mayor Dana Redd, Democrat
2.Flint MI — Mayor Dayne Walling, Democrat
3.Detroit MI — Mayor Dave Bing/Mike Duggan, Democrat(s)
4.Oakland, CA — Mayor Jean Quan, Democrat
5.St. Louis, MO — Mayor Francis Slay, Democrat
6.Cleveland, OH — Mayor Frank Jackson, Democrat
7.Gary, IN — Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, Democrat
8.Newark NJ — Mayor Corey Booker/Luis Quintana, Democrat(s)
9.Bridgeport, CT — Mayor Bill Finch, Democrat
10.Birmingham, AL — Mayor William A. Bell, Democrat"

Dervish Sanders said...

Thanks for that enlightenment Jerry. Yep, really needed that. And I mean that without the sarcasm of RN... who appears to be arguing IN FAVOR of wage theft? I guess these employees should just be grateful for a job and NOT expect to be paid what their employers agreed to pay them.

(O)CT(O)PUS said...

"Life comes before blogging."

In case any of you are wondering where the cephalopod has been these past few months, the girlfriend and I bought a new reef together, and we are now living in sin ... sin with a glass of Zin, dancing fin to fin, to the strings of a violin.

Away for months, then suddenly it hits you: The same old partisan spin. I used to think there were objective standards of honesty and integrity that rose above politics, that cheating was wrong in any book, and that wage theft was illegal. How naive and wrong of me.

Now its okay for employers to cheat their employees because cheating creates jobs, because laws are too burdensome for businesses to bear, because an employee cheating justifies cheating an employee, because profit at any cost beats an honest dollar, because moralistic claptrap smacks of soschalizm, and all that nada dada.

Now you know why the French like to eat snails. Because they hate fast food.

Anonymous said...

Anon, all those cities, with Democratic mayors, are in states run by Republican governors.

Leo T. Lyon said...

I don't recall hearing a con/libertarian call Louisiana's governor a "shitbag," even though that state is always last in education, health, and among the first in poverty. But we don't want to be partisan, do we...

Les Carpenter said...

Dervish Sandars said, "... RN... who appears to be arguing IN FAVOR of wage theft?"

No Canardo, I am not arguing in favor of wage theft. I will, if necessary, argue two things, A)- An employer has the ethical, indeed moral responsibility to pay their employees either the contractual wages per labor agreement or the MUTUALLY agreed upon wages when the employee agreed to accept an employment offer from the employer and B)- The employee should to work at 100% effort for the wages they AGREED TO ACCEPT without bitching about being underpaid.

Any questions Dervish Sanders?