I tried responding to this before but it bounced. I just want to say I am in complete agreement with Elan and have sent congratulations to the Workers' Center. Jeanne In a message dated 5/30/2008 8:26:07 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Making an economy that works for ALL community mebers is a key, underrecognized principle of local sustainability. es Check out this powerfully inspiring example of empowering individuals and transforming community through collective action, integrity and willingness to dialogue!!! Can also find article in the Ithaca Journal. -This article appeared in the Ithaca Journal Thursday morning--a fine example of transformative action! Congratulations Pete and all those at the Workers' Center. Anke Wessels Center for Transformative Action ><http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080529/NEWS01/8 05290340/1002#pluckcomments>Ithaca >workers' agreement sets standard > >Restaurant owner and employees negotiate overtime, tip pooling policies > >By Ben Mumford-Zisk >Special to The Journal > > >ITHACA - A local business owner Wednesday became possibly the first >employer in New York state outside of New York City to adopt a >Community Responsibility Agreement [without government intervention]. > > >The agreement was announced during a press conference held by the >Tompkins County Workers' Center on the Aurora Street side of The >Commons. It has far-reaching implications for workers in Ithaca if >other local employers follow the example set by Hiro Oshima, general >manager of Plum Tree Restaurant in Collegetown and Sushi O Sake on >Aurora Street. > > ><http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?template=zoom&Site=AF&; Date=20080529&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=805290340&Ref=AR&Profile=1002> > >From left, attorney Paul Wagner, Pete Meyers, a coordinator at the >Tompkins County Workers' Center, and Diana Cohn, an intern at the >center, listen to Yuko Jingu with her husband Jerome Cornett, right, >as she talks about getting help from the workers center to correct >labor practices at the Plum Tree and Sushi O Sake restaurants where >she worked in 2007. Wagner negotiated on behalf of the restaurants >with the workers center, and the restaurants have signed a community >responsibility agreement outlining their responsibilities to their >employees. (SIMON WHEELER / Journal Staff) > > >"We are a responsible and good employer," Oshima said in a press >statement released by the workers' center. "We are happy to declare >publicly our employment practices in this agreement." > > >Oshima did not attend the press conference. An employee at Plum Tree >said Oshima was out of town, and he did not return calls for comment. > > >The agreement was drafted after nearly a year of negotiations >between Oshima and nine former employees from both restaurants, who >were represented by the workers' center. The employees alleged >underpayment resulting from the Plum Tree and Sushi O Sake's tip >pooling and overtime policies. > > >Yuko Jingo, a former employee of Oshima's, reported a sense of >helplessness when she realized the injustice of her situation. She >said management told her that the rules would not be changed and >that there was nothing wrong with her employer's economic practices. > > >"I was told I was crazy," she said. > > >Pete Meyers, coordinator of the workers' center, said he is very >pleased that an agreement could be reached using community >organizations. The alternative, he said, would have been to move the >legal battle to the state level, as has been necessary in the past. > > >Attorney Paul Wagner, who is affiliated with the workers' center, >said he was glad to see the open-mindedness and constructive >attitude with which both parties approached the problem. > > >"We had disagreements, but that's to be expected, and we resolved >them," he said. > > >Former Ithaca city attorney Marty Luster concurred. > > >"I thought we saw a high level of professionalism," he said during >the press conference. > > >The agreement, which was handed out to those present Wednesday, >detailed the responsibilities that Oshima accepts as an employer, >including the end of mandatory tip pools, which, Meyers said, are >prohibited by federal law. > > >Restitutions for employees affected by tip pooling and unethical >overtime practices were also specified in the document. These monies >amount to approximately $6,000 in tips to be split by the nine >plaintiffs, and approximately $1,000 in overtime wages to be split >by two unnamed parties. > > >The agreement is seen as a victory for workers in Tompkins County, >who now have a standard against which to measure their employers. > > >"We're just workers working for workers' rights," said Jerome >Cornett, Jingo's husband and a self-described worker. "There should >be some place to talk to. We want to invite everyone to come to the >workers' center. This is what happens when people stand up for their >rights and what they believe." > > >Kristin Baker, another former employee of Oshima's who attended the >press conference, echoed Cornett's words earlier during her remarks >to those assembled on Aurora Street. > > >"I always believe in the power of the people," she said, grinning broadly. > > > >Pete Meyers >TC Workers' Center >115 E. State >Ithaca, NY 14850 >607-269-0409 ><http://www.TCWorkersCenter.org>www.TCWorkersCenter.org > >"There is scarcely anything in the world that some man cannot make a >little worse, and sell a little more cheaply. The person who buys on >price alone is this man's lawful prey." >--John Ruskin > >"The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they >don't have any." >--Alice Walker > > > -- Anke Wessels, PhD Executive Director The CRESP Center for Transformative Action 117 Anabel Taylor Hall Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853 607-255-5027 -- Elan Shapiro Sustainable Tompkins Community Partnership Coordinator Sustainable Living Associates, Principal Frog's Way B&B 211 Rachel Carson Way Ithaca, NY 14850 607-275-0249 607-592-8402 Cell "We must be the change we want to see in the world" Mohandas Gandhi _______________________________________________ For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: [email protected] http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org **************Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. 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