Amish Market's Owner is Heading to Jail Because of Brave Workers

By: Joseph Fedele

Adem Arici is heading to jail and the brave workers from his six-store chain are finally rejoicing that justice has been served.  In 2009 UFCW Local 1500 helped workers at The Amish Market re-collect over $1.5 million in stoel wages.  The NY Department of Labor's wage theft investigation found Arici and his business partners were failing to pay their employees correct wages and not paying employees overtime.

Shortly after, federal prosecutors began examining Arici's entire business, including tax records for the six-store chain.  It was found that Arici and his business partners were not only stealing wages from their employees, but they were fudging the books in NYC for years, withholding over $50 million in taxes.

Amish Market workers regain over $1.5 million in unpaid wages [2009]

via NY Daily News:

The Turkish-born grocer is the seventh member accused in the scam to plead guilty. Arici and his fellow cheats skimmed cash from grocery sales to avoid paying taxes, paid undocumented foreign workers in cash and submitted fraudulent tax returns, authorities said.

As workers, we all know how real wage theft is.  Although it may not get as much public attention as it should, it's occurring every day in throughout our country.   Many businesses today have an inherent belief that basic labor laws do not apply to them.  Whether it's stealing wages, or closing stores to avoid unionization, the trend to "save a buck" by violating workers rights continues to grow with little resistance.  Though on a day like today when a corrupt Adem Arici is sentenced to jail for fixing his books and not paying taxes, it should be noted that the light was shined on his dark & dirty business by a small band of union Organizers and a group of brave workers standing up against injustice.  Without the tremendous courage from the workers at Amish Market, who fought back against their boss stealing wages, Adem Arici may not have been sentenced to jail for evading taxes.

As prevalent as wage theft is, NY Republicans STILL want to repeal the Wage Theft Prevention Act.  Why? So businesses can continue to profit from cheating their workers out of money they are owed.  This isn't a partisan political issue,  it's a people issue.  If you believe workers should be paid the amount agreed upon when hired, simple as that you agree with the Act.  End of story.

NYS Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, said it best on wage theft, "An employer who knowingly violates labor laws is not an upstanding businessman saving a few bucks.  In the end, he is hardly any different from the pickpocket, and the law should treat him as such."  The pickpocket is heading to jail, and New York has the proud, brave, and courageous gourmet grocery workers to thank.


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King Kullen is debuting a new nutritional scoring system called NuVal this week. "Implementing the NuVal scoring system is the most ambitious step we've taken in 80 years to promote nutritious eating," said Brian C. Cullen, co-president. More @ LI Business News.

Stop & Shop announced a new Fuel Price System.

Queens Chronicle: Aldi comes to Rego II.

CBS News: Groceries, Clothing Will Soon Cost You More Money.
Global wheat prices have more than doubled in the last six months....

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New York City unemployment spikes to 10.6%.  

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What does the Mass. Senate change mean for the food industry?

Release: Campaign against Amish Market

Image via Wikipedia

NEW YORK - (Business Wire)

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1500 is launching a city-wide, multi-media ad campaign urging New Yorkers to avoid shopping at Amish Market as a part of its ongoing effort to call attention to mistreatment of grocery workers.

The campaign – which includes outdoor, mail, online, and transit components – focuses on Amish Market’s theft of more than $1 million in wages from its employees, a transgression brought to the attention of state officials by UFCW Local 1500 in 2007.

“New Yorkers need to know that stores like Amish Market don’t deserve our support,” said Pat Purcell, Director of Special Projects at UFCW Local 1500. “If you want to do business in New York’s neighborhoods, you have to meet New York’s standards. Stealing more than a million dollars from working people doesn’t come close.”

The print components of the campaign are mirrored on major New York blogs (including Gothamist, CityRag, SeriousEats and MidtownLunch), where ads encourage readers to visit NothingFineAboutIt.org. The site documents a number of abuses committed by Amish Market; New Yorkers can also send a letter to the company announcing their intentions to shop elsewhere.

Campaign creatives can be viewed here:

http://www.ufcw.org/images/amishkioskscreen.jpg
http://www.ufcw.org/images/amishmailerscreen.jpg
http://www.ufcw.org/images/ufcw-pickp-vert-150x6002_120409_135744.gif

Press inquiries should be directed to Corey Owens, cowens@ufcw.org, 202-905-2179.

UFCW
Corey Owens, 202-905-2179
cowens@ufcw.org

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$1.5 million in unpaid overtime...

Image via Wikipedia

By: Kate Meckler, UFCW

In light of today's breaking news regarding the 1.5 million dollars that gourmet grocers Amish Market, Zeytinia, Zeytinz and Zeytuna were fined for not paying their workers properly, I am compelled to talk about the
Gourmet Grocery Industry in Manhattan.

As the DOL's Commissioner Smith reported on
the experiences of some of the workers, I had tears in my eyes
wondering how this could still be happening in America? It's 2009 and
we're still fighting for workers to be treated with dignity and
respect, to be treated fairly, and to know that when they go to work
each day they're getting paid an honest day's pay for an honest day's
work.

This is why we are working on a broader Gourmet Grocery Campaign,
which is a part of our Building Blocks Project to bring Good Food,
Good Jobs, and Good Health to all NYC residents. We're talking about
improving Manhattan's Gourmet Grocery Industry by making sure there
is safe, fresh food for consumers, and a real voice on the job for the
workers in these stores, which we believe leads to good health for all
New Yorkers.

We'll keep you posted on our latest research and findings...Coming
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NY Department of Labor announces $1.5 Million Enforcement Action Against NYC Gourmet Grocery Stores

News from New York State Department of Labor

For more information contact: Leo Rosales, 518-457-5519

Labor Department Announces $1.5 Million Enforcement Action Against New York Gourmet Grocery Stores

Amish Market, Zeytinia, Zeytinz and Zeytuna Cheated Approximately 550 Workers out of Overtime Wages

ALBANY, NY (02/26/2009; 1319)(readMedia)-- At a press conference in New York City, State Labor Commissioner M. Patricia Smith today detailed the findings of a Department of Labor (DOL) investigation of Amish Market and its related stores: Zeytinia, Zeytinz and Zeytuna. The stores, which specialize in gourmet "on-the-go" cuisine and cater to an upscale clientele, operate mostly out of Manhattan, but also have locations in Queens, Croton-on-Hudson and Hyde Park. As a result of this investigation, approximately 550 workers will receive nearly $1.5 million, primarily in unpaid overtime wages.

"These stores market themselves as 'the answer to busy people's dilemma,'" said Commissioner Smith. "But while busy patrons bought gourmet meals, busy workers were working up to 60 hours per week without being paid overtime."

Commissioner Smith continued, "It's unfathomable to think that in this day and age - in these frightening economic times - an employer would actually believe it could get away with cheating workers out such an exorbitant amount of their hard earned money. This case is a prime example of collaboration, good detective work and, as always, strong labor law enforcement."

The case involving Amish Market, Zeytinia, Zeytinz and Zeytuna was referred to the Department of Labor by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1500, which has since become a member of New York State Wage Watchers, the Labor Department's pilot community policing program.

As part of their community outreach efforts, the union met with workers at one of the Amish Market stores. They realized that workers were not being paid overtime, and brought the issue to the Department of Labor's attention. Under state labor law, employers are required to pay overtime for weekly hours past 40 at 1½ times the employee's regular pay rate.

At the beginning of the case, UFCW Local 1500 served as a liaison between workers and the Department of Labor, bringing workers to the DOL's New York City offices to provide information.

DOL staff researched the stores and learned that in fact there were nine locations statewide with joint or overlapping ownership. In order to maximize the impact of the enforcement effort, a sweep was conducted by over 30 investigators from the Division of Labor Standards simultaneously at nine locations throughout the State. Investigators visited each location unannounced, at the same time on the same day, in order to prevent owners and managers from coaching employees or destroying records. Widespread overtime violations were found as a result of the sweep, with many workers clocking between 45 and 60 hours per week but being paid only "straight time" -- and not the overtime rate required by law.

In addition, the DOL found that at a few locations, the employer unlawfully paid new hires subminimum wages during a so-called "trial period." The minimum wage in New York State is $7.15 per hour and will increase to $7.25 per hour in July, 2009.

In the course of the investigation, one worker was fired for providing information to the DOL. The DOL subsequently obtained lost compensation and penalties based on the unlawful retaliation. Typically, however, DOL's statutory remedies in retaliation cases are limited to issuing a $2,000 penalty. Last year the Department proposed legislation to increase remedies in retaliation cases.

Thus far, Amish Market, Zeytinia, Zeytinz and Zeytuna have agreed to pay nearly $1.2 million dollars (approximately $300,000 for 26 employees is still in negotiations), primarily in overtime wages, due to current and former employees of the stores.

Bruce W. Both, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500 said, "When workers do not receive the pay they are entitled to by law, both the workers and tax payers suffer. Unpaid wages also mean unpaid taxes. We can never tolerate that, especially in these difficult economic times. The New York State Department of Labor and the workers from Amish Markets, a gourmet grocery store serving high-end food products, deserve the gratitude of every taxpayer in this city because they had the courage to stand up and say: 'This is wrong!' Today, the only thing being served and delivered by these grocery workers is justice."

This investigation was handled by more than 30 investigators from the Division of Labor Standards, located in the New York City, White Plains, and Albany district offices. Commissioner Smith also commended the work of Investigator Jorge Alvarez of the Apparel Industry/Fair Wages Task Force, who successfully negotiated settlements on behalf of workers at several stores in New York City. The investigation was carried out under the supervision of Lorelei Boylan, Director of Strategic Enforcement in the Division of Labor Standards and Carmine Ruberto, Director of the Division of Labor Standards.

The State Labor Department encourages employers and workers to contact the department about wage and hour issues. Investigators will answer any questions regarding New York's labor laws. Information is also available on the department's web site - www.labor.ny.gov; or by phone at 1-888-52-LABOR.

-30-

Peapod expands to N.J., Could a Fairway Market be coming to Bay Ridge?, Eli's adds a new 'energy tax', plus more one liners....

Image via Wikipedia

For the Bay Ridge shoppers who lost a Key Food in June, rumors of a Fairway Market are now circulating.

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UFCW Strike authorization was approved in Canada for a local store..

Other

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Whole Foods Brooklyn update, Amish Market opens a new store & Wednesday Morning One Liners...

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This blog has some great inside photos of the new store.

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Mayor Bloomberg has endorsed 3 Democrats in State races.

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