The upscale Gramercy restaurant Pure Food and Wine has experienced its second staff walkout within the year. In January, the employees of the New York raw vegan restaurant refused to work due to a four-week delay in their wages.
According to a former staff member, the restaurant also hasn't been able to pay their bills. "In October and November, we started getting lots of calls and people coming in because we hadn't been paying our bills, even from months and months before," the employee said. "We hadn't paid people who were supplying the produce."
Pure Food and Wine was closed down following the walkout, but opened again with new management in spring.
However, it looks like Pure Food and Wine is at it again. On Thursday, the newly unionized workers decided to walk out when their paychecks were delayed for two weeks.
Bartender Kevin Woods told the Gothamist that restaurant owner Sarma Melngailis has simply disappeared once again. He revealed that Melngailis told him that she had received $1 million from a new investment and assured the delay will not happen again. However, the checks began bouncing again as of June 25.
"It's horribly distressing that these checks for people she has attempted to pay aren't even going through," Woods said.
The bartender is currently acting as the spokesman for the workers. According to Woods, the Pure Food and Wine walkout does not signify that the restaurant is not a great place to work in. However, he did emphasize that it would be better if Pure Food and Wine would reopen with new management.
"The owner is so intent upon animal rights and cruelty-free products and this moral high ground, which we appreciate, but I find it rather ironic that she doesn't support her workers in any way," Wood said. "She's violated so many of our rights at this point that it's laughable. We would laugh if it wasn't so sad."
According to the Gothamist, Melngailis could not be contacted for comment.
