Dec. 13, 2010 Staff Report
About 50 people from various worker advocacy groups held a rally outside Associated Marketplace on Greenpoint Ave. on Friday alleging that management is not paying overtime or minimum wages.
The group targeted four supermarkets on Friday, three in Brooklyn and the Associated in Sunnyside. Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer was among the participants.
The New York Communities for Change slapped one of the Brooklyn supermarkets with a lawsuit and the organizer of that group said the group plans to file a suit against Associated.
Ramon Duran, the manager of Associated (at Greenpoint and 44th), said he was surprised to see the group and Van Bramer protesting outside. “We pay overtime to our employees, we meet all New York requirements,” he said. “We have proof of that.”
Duran said, “What proof do they have? I’m going to have to talk to him [Van Bramer] because whatever they are saying is not true.”
The New York Communities for Change did not respond to phone calls on this issue.
Meanwhile, Van Bramer’s press office said in a statement:
“Council Member Van Bramer was invited to attend a rally by two organizations that have had a long history for advocating on behalf of the rights of workers and immigrants. The Council Member is always happy to support efforts that advance justice and at the rally spoke about those principles and did not touch upon the specific case highlighted at the rally.
“Any local issue is of great concern to the Council Member and he has already scheduled meetings with the Associated Supermarket and other parties to discuss the issue at hand.”
