Our friends from the National Mobilization Aganaist Swetshops (NMASS) and workers from the New Silver Palace Resturant, are engaged in a long term struggle and need your help. The New York Area Workers Solidarity Alliance asks that you come out to the picket line.
Below you will find the particulars of the campaign and picket information. Please contact NMASS directly concerning the picket schedule or for further campaign information.
As recently revealed in the restaurant lease for the New Silver Palace Restaurant (NSP), Chinatown landlord Joseph Chu, the President of Eastbank and NSP restaurant owner Richard Chan arranged a scheme to divert hundreds of thousands of dollars from the restaurant to repay a loan secured personally by Chan.
In the meantime, restaurant workers had their tips stolen and wages withheld continually over the last five years. The 1997 lease between Joseph Chu who conveniently was both the President of the Eastbank and is the restaurant's landlord stipulated that the New Silver Palace (and essentially its workers) must assume a $1.25 million loan with interest payments of $10,000 a month that was taken out by the old Silver Palace Restaurant. First, the old Silver Palace and its debts had been dissolved through bankruptcy meaning that the new restaurant should not be held liable for the old Eastbank loan. Second, payments for the Eastbank loan were to be paid to Joseph Chu as landlord. Joseph Chu has used his position as both Eastbank President and restaurant landlord to weave an elaborate web of greed that resulted in workers being denied their wages and tips and losing their jobs. In addition to this "under the table" arrangement, the restaurant's owners have outright extorted tips from workers, withheld wages and used physical violence against workers. Now, New Silver Palace Workers and supporters are demonstrating against the New Silver Palace 'Axis of Exploitation' and calling for government investigation of Eastbank and Joseph Chu.
MONDAY-FRIDAY, 12:30 - 1:30PM
Picket times subject to change, call to confirm.
In front of Eastbank NW Corner of Centre Street & Canal Street
(N/R/W/Q or 6 train to Canal)
mail: NMASS P.O. Box 130293, New York, NY 10013-0995
office: 30 Third Avenue, Brooklyn (between Atlantic and State)
tel: 718-625-9091 — fax: 718-625-8950 — email:nmass@yahoo.com