Saigon Grill delivery strike: more to come?

[Megan Blocker]

According to the New York Times, the National Labor Relations Board has filed charges against the owners of Saigon Grill for firing the 22 employees who organized the strike.

The federal labor board said that the two Saigon Grill restaurants, among the city’s most highly rated Asian restaurants, had illegally retaliated against the workers because they had banded together to assert their rights.

The case will now go before an administrative law judge, with the labor board asking that the deliverymen be reinstated and be given back pay and that Saigon Grill pledge not to engage in future retaliation or intimidation.

I wonder if the charges will stick, and, if so, what the repercussions might be around the city?

[donbert]

Looks like there's some progress in the case:

In a decision made public on Wednesday, Judge Ray Green concluded that Simon Nget, the restaurants’ owner, had illegally retaliated against the workers, all of them immigrants from China, by firing them because they were planning to bring a wage and hour lawsuit against him.

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Judge Green ordered Saigon Grill to pay the workers for all the wages they had not received since their dismissal. He also ordered the deliverymen reinstated within 14 days, but that order could be suspended by an appeal by Saigon Grill.

My guess is that he'll appeal and this will drag out longer but I hope that it gets resolved soon.

Full Article here can be found on the NY Times website.

[Fat Guy]

$4.6 million judgment against Saigon Grill.

Edited to add: I saw this on Grub Street a couple of days ago, then yesterday the story was on the front page of the New York Post ("Fall of Saigon") and there was the above-linked feature in the Times. It was covered in other outlets as well.

Assuming the judgment represents a correct application of the law to the facts then it will send a huge signal to the industry that you can't get away with substandard treatment of your workers just because you're an ethnic restaurant.

[Dave the Cook]

Saturday's New York Times features an op-ed column by Steven Shaw (aka Fat Guy), titled "Pork Fried Abuse," on the take-out lawsuit situation:

But what did all this mean for my dinner? My first selfish reaction when I learned of the Saigon Grill strike was alarm at no longer being able to sit around in my underwear and order No. 19 (goi du du, green papaya salad with beef). But the situation got me thinking.

He concludes:

The last thing anybody wants to do during hard economic times is pay more for anything, but takeout’s hidden costs are greater than the couple of extra dollars that pork fried rice will cost under a more responsible system.

[robyn]

I posted this in the wrong section of the forum - but was directed to this thread (I don't read the New York forum because I don't live there - or visit often). Anyway - here is what I wrote in relevant part:

"I very much enjoyed [the] op-ed piece in the NYT about take-out delivery people from Chinese restaurants in New York getting sc*****. It is probably a true observation about people who deliver all kinds of the food all over the US.

Without getting into politics (OT) - I just want to say that it is important IMO to deal justly with the "working poor" people we meet personally in our lives. Pay decent salaries and give nice bonuses if you employ people. Give good tips. Etc.

It is very easy to vote for X who promises who to do Y for people like this - but there is nothing like putting Z dollars directly in their pockets yourself. Keep this in mind as the holiday season approaches. I have to laugh - because one of my most hated things to do during the holiday season is to pass out Christmas gifts to the people who collect our garbage and recycling. Not that I mind the money. I just hate waking up at 7 am and standing outside with a bunch of envelopes in what is pretty cold weather for north Florida.

Anyway - for everyone here - get a bunch of tens and twenties and hand them out liberally - to the people who deliver your Chinese food - and those who do similar things for you. Robyn"

Edited October 30, 2008 by robyn (log)