Monday, June 22, 2015

Report: Workers claim that 2 Bros. doesn't pay minimum wage, offer overtime

Employees of the 2. Bros. Pizza chainlet have filed a class-action suit, claiming that they worked 60- to 70-hour weeks for less than minimum wage and without overtime.

Per the Daily News, who first reported on the lawsuit:

"They built their dollar pizza empire on the backs of my clients and other workers by grossly underpaying them," said their lawyer, Adam Slater. "It’s just unfair."

Gabriel Bailon, who worked as a piemaker and cashier at the chain’s flagship pizzeria on St. Marks Place and saw 2 Bros. become a citywide staple, said he and other employees were talked into staying with phony promises about raises, but their bosses never came up with the dough.

An attorney representing the owners of 2 Bros., Eli and Oren Halali, as well as their father, Joshua, said they would prevail in court.

"2 Bros. pays its employees in compliance with city, state and federal law and categorically denies the claims made by the plaintiffs," the attorney told the Daily News.

Slater said that the suit represents 12 employees, with more coming forward, and that damages could exceed $10 million.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is terrible but not shocking. I was eating at an East Village slice joint the other day and it dawned on me how any day, any time I go to this place, I see the same four or five guys working the counter and making the deliveries. That's a big staff for a small place, and I wondered how much the owner could possibly be paying them. It can't be much.

Walter said...

That's not Pizza. It's cheesy cardboard. Italy should take them to world court.

Walter said...

They always say they'd prevail in court...then they're ordered to pay a 6 figure compensation. PLUS THEIR PIZZA SUCKS. (as always, just my 2 cents)

I {heart} NYC ... said...

With riduculously high rents where else can a business cut costs except by using low quality ingredients and/or underpaying their workers? The old saw "make it up in volume" appeared to be working for this pizza joint but how many pizzas per month do they have to sell to make the rent? And don't think that you're going to get well-paid staff waiting on you if you go to a high end place either. The labor laws specifically exclude "tipped" restaurant and bar workers and there have been plenty of examples of fancy places that cheat their staff.

Of course there are always other ways to make ends meet: using the business as a money laundering front, selling drugs, or fencing stolen merchandise.

The rent is too damn high. Leave the shitty city to the real estate moguls. There have to be better places to live and work. I want to find them too; this place is the pits.

Anonymous said...

"..damages could exceed $10 million, or 1.25 million large plain pizzas."

nygrump said...

June 22, 2015 at 12:50 PM - yes there is, its called Switzerland

Walter said...

June 22, 2015 at 12:50 PM - yes there is, its called Switzerland

You're a smart man. It's a Western Nation that treats its elderly with dignity. My Mom, who lived in Zurich, got about 4 grand a month in SSI. Yeah, that's correct.

Anonymous said...

These employees worked i really hot summers! All sweaty nd still serving your slices maybe a drop here or there on the pies. No AC not even a fan. In the winter we have the doors wide open no heat!. Just a sweater to keep warm or we would stand by the oven.rude customers resulted in fights with employees.always working 6 to 7 days 12hr shifts! 480 was minimum start no call outs or u will b fired! Facts! At the time most were illegal paid cash off the books Former 2 bros employee 2011-2013

Anonymous said...

I do my best to not shop or eat at place where the prices are "too cheap to be true". With the minimum wage being below what anyone living in any part of NYC can survive on I side with the employees. As for the pizza joint I have little sympathy. It's one thing to cut cost by using fake cheese and the cheapest tomato sauce on the market but breaking labor laws so you can make a bottom barrel product is wrong. Please don't support cheap ass businesses like this one you support criminals.

Anonymous said...

We would never know unless we are told of these horrible conditions under which you work. Thank you. I will never stop by unless your conditions change. Please keep us informed!

Anonymous said...

2 BROS ARE THE CROOKS WHO INVADE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THEIR CHEAP IMITATIONS TO PUT EVERYONE ELSE OUT OF BUSINESS. GREEDY AND EXPLOITATIVE!!! THEY LEASE PROPERTIES ALL ALONG ST MARKS AND THEY ATTEMPT TO TAKE OVER MAMOUMS FALAFEL WITH THEIR "CHEEPS" IMITATION ON 2ND AVE AND FAILED, TRIED TO MAKE CHEAP DISGUSTING PASTA AT PASTA TO GO AND FAILED, DISGUSTING .39 CENT YOGUR AND FAILED. EVERYONE CAN SPY AND TASTE A CROOK FAKE. I HOPE THEY GET THEIR PAINTS SUED FOR JUST PUTTING MANY OF THE HONEST HARD WORKING AND FAIR BUSINESS OWNERS OUT OF BUSINESS!!!!!!! LONG LOVE AND LOVE THEIR EMPLOYEES!!!!! MAY THEY ALL BE FAIRLY COMPENSATED BY THESE CROOKS!!!!

Anonymous said...

@12:50 PM

Like the Mario Batli lawsuit where employees never received their tips from credit card payments.

Anonymous said...

Bros before hos

Anonymous said...

Ben's Pizzeria in Greenwich Village is all you need for pizza slices below 14th Street.

$300 wine, $500 lunch, and a nice $2 tip for the server ... said...

@8:55 PM:

Yes, it appears to run the gamut from $1 pizza joints to fancy pants places like "Le Cirque":

http://gawker.com/5843667/nyc-restaurateurs-having-to-pay-our-workers-is-destroying-us

The NY Post curiously put "Exploited" in quotes in their headline but the text bears out that the label is correct:

http://nypost.com/2014/09/18/exploited-le-cirque-staff-bring-lawsuit-against-owner/

Anonymous said...

Small businesses are notorious for doing this.