Waiters Sue Waldorf-Astoria for Stiffing Them

@hhusted You would think a hotel as well known and luxurious as the Waldorf would not need to resort to short changing its waiters.. shameful...

This, sadly, is way too common. I used to work in nightclubs and I've never worked in one wherein there weren't some really shady things going down with management / owners stiffing the waiters and bartenders. Two places I worked for were sued for misallocation of tips.

I noticed back in my days in the service industry that that place is always hiring. They even called me once for an interview, about a year after I sent them my resume, but I wasn't in the city at the time. Places that are always hiring usually have a high turnover for a reason - ie, they are horrible places to work.

Completely agree BroadwayBK. The places that have no turnover are the ones that actually treat their employees decently. Sadly, if restaurant / bar owners would just be nice and considerate to their employees, they could get away with murder. This just never seems to be the case.

Sadly, I've found that hardly any service industry jobs care much about their employees, especially here where they are so replaceable, what with the army of aspiring artists that gather here and become servers and bartenders in the meantime.

Yeah, I hope that - if the restaurant actually is in the wrong, which wouldn't surprise me a bit - that the servers get what they are owed and then some. I expect that kind of behavior from a slave driving small restaurant owner (and even then of course it's not acceptable), but from the Waldorf? Come on.

That's probably the reason that the Waldorf can abuse the employees. It's a really prestigious place to work and people who arrive to pursuit their art go to places like that first. They know it already and suspect they'll make more money.

It's been my experience, though, that the places with lower turnover are actually also known for having great service. When you have a bunch of disgruntled employees things tend to be a little different. So it's strange that the Waldorf would go out of its way to be such a horrible place to work, what with a reputation to uphold and all.

I am dumbfounded to think that a prestigious place like the Waldorf would treat their employees like they did. They must have assumed the employees would not have reacted and said anything. How wrong to assume that. By doing that, it gives the place a bad reputation. And once you get that, it takes years to re-establish yourself.

I don't think a place like the Waldorf Astoria is in any danger of getting a bad reputation because of some disgruntled, minimum wage employees. Their reputation is too long standing. Sadly, that's why they can get away with it.

You would think they would care more about their reputation, however, and work to maintain high standards? But apparently not. Has anyone eaten there? What were your experiences?

My parents used to stay at the Waldorf so I've been there a few times for drinks and snacks and stuff. I'm not that impressed. It's not really, per se, cool old; it's more like old old. And, there are a lot of tourists there. It just doesn't have the old NY feel to me. It's kinda like a place where people go for conferences . . to me anyway.

@JenMac: I understand what are saying, but there is something you should know. I know a couple of restaurants that were the pillar of their communities. They serve everybody well. They were always packed. However, one employee spoke out about the conditions in the kitchen and how they were mistreated and underpaid, just like this restaurant in this forum. Well, after the employee leaked the story to the press, the restaurant received so much bad press they lost a lot of business. Within six months they closed their doors for good. So don't think because an establishment as been opened for a long time, bad things can't create problems for them, because it can. Just thought I'd let you know. At first I thought like you but when I found out first hand, I changed my tune pretty quickly.

That's really not on. Shame on the Waldorf Astoria - and I hope this is an incentive for them to shape up.

@Ajadedidealist: It usually takes a big beating like this to make ownership shape up. Hopefully the Waldorf will take the hint, fix the problem, and get back to business.

I have worked at plenty of successful restaurants that were well known - among people who know such things - for treating employees badly, but business never appeared to be suffering because of it. I don't think there is a direct correlation between how employees are treated and whether the business survives or not. I do think there is a connection between how employees are treated and how well they perform, however.

@BroadwayBK I tend to agree with you I dont think the Waldorf is going to change its ways anytime soon.

Right.... maybe if this was a place that was little-known, and all of the sudden became famous for treating its employees like crap, the bad press would hurt them. But in the case of the Waldorf I don't think this is going to make them see the light or anything. The only thing that is really surprising here is that the Waldorf - which I'm sure has a team of super lawyers - was found guilty of anything at all.

@BroadwayBK: Yeah, that is how it is with big tycoons. They have big lawyers and big pockets as well. So they don't worry about a little employee biff. They will simply deal with it, and get on with business at hand.

There was a big to-do a while back to boycott Citibank because their practices were oppressive toward third-world workers. Guess what, I don't think Citibank got any less rich. I think people patronizing Waldorf Astoria are buying a brand name that implies a certain sense of luxury begat on the backs of others who are less fortunate. I think that's part of buying in to the Waldorf Astoria scene: it's us the stinking rich, versus them the filthy poor. I doubt any kind of negative publicity on this point is going to make one iota of difference to their clientele.

Maybe. I didn't know that about Citibank - they were my bank back in the States for a while. What was the story there?

@Uraniumfish: I think you are right. If the place developed a good enough reputation, it will be hard to tear it down, especially if people aren't concerned with what happens internally. As long as consumers receive the same or better service for their money, they won't complain or say much.

@hhusted very true...

Hear, hear! @Uraniumfish

Really, I think this sort of thing happens all the time. Rich guys can get away with murder 'round these parts.

@Uraniumfish Totally true. @BroadwayBK You said it. The rich really do get away with murder, especially round these parts.

Sad but true.

@Everybody: My girlfriend told me not too long ago that money talks. The richer you are, the more powerful you are. And when you get that powerful, people have a tendency to turn their heads when you do something wrong. This is why you see the rich get away with many things.

@hhusted I think unfortunately this is how it is all over the world not just in NYC.

I wonder why more people don't want to do more good with their boatloads of cash? It's like only evil people ever make it that big...

@NeverSleeps: It is because when evil, greedy people get rich, they horde it and hate to spend. They are afraid to spend one dime. They may have lived in poverty at one time, and because they did, and got out of it, they are afraid they will always go back to it. This may not be the attitude of them all, but from what I read, it makes up a lot of attitudes.