Health Concerns

Aunt Suzie’s Owner Spoke Against Sick Leave Before Being Busted for Wage-Dodging

Photo: Stephanie Land

When Marc Murphy testified against a proposed bill mandating that restaurateurs provide paid sick leave, his director of operations made sure to point out that Landmarc treats its employees very well, thank you (among other things, they get five sick days after they’ve worked there a year). But here’s something interesting — another restaurateur who testified against the bill on Tuesday, Irene Lo Re, also happens to be the owner of one of 25 Park Slope restaurants that were busted by the state Department of Labor for underpaying workers.

Though the eateries weren’t named in yesterday’s press release from the labor department, the NY Daily News today revealed that the restaurants include Olive Vine Café, Sotto Voce, Sweet Melissa Patisserie, Baluchi’s, Sette Enoteca e Cucina, and Aunt Suzie’s. And a call to Christine Quinn’s office reveals that Aunt Suzie owner Irene Lo Re spoke against paid sick leave. To make matters more interesting, Lo Re is president of the Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District and she has also been a chairperson of Community Board 6. We’ve called Lo Re to find out what, exactly, it is that she doesn’t like about the bill.

State Labor Department names Park Slope eateries that underpay staff [NYDN]
Earlier: State Busts Park Slope Restaurants for Stiffing Workers Out of Almost $1 Million
Should the Restaurant Industry Take Its Medicine and Allow Sick Leave?

Aunt Suzie’s Owner Spoke Against Sick Leave Before Being Busted for Wage-Dodging