CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Workers at a pizza restaurant in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood have filed a lawsuit against the business, alleging theft of wages.
The workers named in the suit — two current and two former delivery drivers — gathered with labor activists from Arise Chicago outside Naty’s Pizza, on Kedzie near 51st Street.
They asserted they’re wrongly classified as private contractors, and said they don’t get hourly pay, overtime, or any compensation for gas.
Workers said they don’t get tips put on credit cards.
Asiel Esponosa, one of the plaintiffs, spoke through an interpreter.
“So, we are working about 14 hours every day and we don’t receive any kind of compensation,” Esponosa said.
Attorney Karen Englehardt, who’s representing the workers, said, “Employees should be paid properly, and in this case, they were not.”.
Espinosa said, through the interpreter, he’s concerned about retaliation.
“Yes, we are afraid,” he said.
The restaurant manager, Nancy Rodriguez, told us the workers have never complained about their pay.
She said they signed contracts classifying them as independent contractors and added that they don’t have to worry about retaliation.
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