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Workers Say Boathouse Charges $8 For Bottled Tap Water
By
Garth Johnston
Published Aug 23, 2011
Modified Aug 23, 2011
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By
Garth Johnston
Published Aug 23, 2011
Modified Aug 23, 2011
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People have been selling packaged New York City tap water for years...but charging $8-a-pop per bottle for the champagne of municipal waters? That's a little rich for our blood. And yet that is exactly what the striking workers at the Central Park Boathouse say that operator Dean Poll has had them charge for bottles of filtered tap water for years.
Gatecrasher noted this weekend that the striking employees outside the Boathouse were handing out bottles of "REAL and FREE Bottled Spring Water" near the waterfront restaurant as part of their protest. On the bottles? Their "Dump Dean" slogan along with the claim that he "cheats his employees and the taxpayers of New York City."
Dean Poll, the Boathouse's operator, is under a lot of pressure these days. In addition to the striking workers he's also got a sexual harassment suit regarding employees at the Boathouse and the National Labor Relations Board is investigating him because of allegations that managers interrogated, intimidated, and in some cases fired workers who supported unionization. In the wake of the ongoing strike some politicians are even pushing to have Poll's license to operate the Boathouse taken away. Oh, and also? Turns out the place is pretty filthy. You can learn a whole lot more about the Boathouse worker's complaints and strike (which the restaurant says is not hurting business) right here.
Tagged
central park
central park boathouse
dean poll
manhattan
tap water
Garth Johnston
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