Friday, March 27, 2009

What a swell guy

A Bronx bakery owner worked his employees like dogs, refused to pay them minimum wage, threatened them when the state began investigating and made them work the first two weeks of their employment for free.

One Walter Galiano was arraigned in New York State Supreme Court, charged with 44 felony counts and 240 misdemeanors. Charges include including insurance fraud, minimum wage law violations, tax fraud and the illegal withholding of more than $350,000 in wages. When the state began to investigate his odorous business practices, he began threatening and firing his employees. Apparently, Galiano caused 10 workers to retract statements already made to the Department of Labor.

The Department of Labor also said employees were required to “do a deposit,” which entailed working the first two weeks without pay.

M. Patricia Smith of the Department of Labor is quoted as saying: “I have never seen workers so frightened as in the Arthur Avenue Bakery case”.

You stay classy Walter Galiano.

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