Back in January, we pointed out the flyers along Second Avenue accusing the Bar Veloce owners of allegedly underpaying workers and taking money from the tip pool.
In April 2011, several Bar Veloce workers reportedly sued the owners of the restaurant group for wage and labor violations.
Then, as Eater reported on Feb. 21, the owners were counter-suing the workers for a smear campaign that they believe is tarnishing the Veloce name.
According to the new suit: "customers have been driven away, potential investors lost, and employees unnecessarily upset and confused."
Per Grub Street on the lawsuit, "A note to disgruntled restaurant employees: Taking out a telephone-pole flyer smear campaign may not be such a hot idea."
In any event, we spotted new flyers up and down First Avenue yesterday afternoon... involving a few more parties to the smear campaign — Porsena, Porchetta and Ugly Kitchen ...
We asked chef Sara Jenkins of Porsena and Porchetta if she had seen the flyers. Jenkins said that she had, though she declined to comment on them.
Employees have rights too. Mario Batali just learned that, the hard way.
ReplyDeletehttp://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/07/mario-batali-agrees-to-5-25-million-settlement-over-employee-tips/
Looks like the cat is out of the bag for these businesses that are owned by Frederick Twomey. He should know that you can't hide anything from new Yorkers no matter how many times you change the name ie.
ReplyDelete106 first ave
Solex French wine bar owned by TWOMEY closed at that location then reopened as Veloce pizzeria then that closed and now he has reopened under the name Ugly Kitchen.
One thing is for sure
This is getting UGLY
WANTED TO CHALLENGE ANYONE TO ARGUE THE FACT..
ReplyDelete"The owners of Bar Veloce, Frederick Twomey, 36, and Chris Cannon, 41, are veterans of the New York restaurant scene; they met at Remi when Mr. Cannon was general manager and Mr. Twomey was a bartender"
Quote from the NEW YORK TIMES by Alex Witchel
I think that pretty much some's it up
Whoever wrote this article, it's very poorly written and not informed well. Get your facts straight before misleading your readers.
ReplyDelete