THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, October 20, 2023 Page 7 RETALIATION | FROM PAGE 1 several years at 290 Main St., in Malden Square, closed abruptly in late 2022. The workers are represented by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) and the Asian Outreach Center (AOC) at Greater Boston Legal Services. They are seeking more than $230,000 in unpaid wages, overtime pay, stolen tips and damages. “Wage and hour laws exist to protect workers from exploitative conditions. Employers must abide by the law and pay their employees their lawful wages,” said AALDEF Senior Counsel Elizabeth Koo. “Every worker is entitled to have their wages paid in full for work performed — regardless of immigration status.” “We dedicated extensive hours to the restaurant. I worked hard, so I could raise my child, provide for my family in China, and support my father who is terminally ill and needed hundreds of dollars just for a single dose of medicine. I need to get my wages back,” said Mr. Zhang, a litigant in the case who prefers to be referred to by a pseudonym. Mr. Zhang is a middle-aged immigrant from China who is fearful of retaliation for speaking out about this situation. The former employees worked at Sichuan Taste in janitorial, dishwashing, kitchen, delivery, host and wait staff positions, at various times between April 2020 and October 2022, PARK | FROM PAGE 1 ties, upgrades the existing Little League baseball fi eld, adds new trees and improves walkability, safety, lighting, drainage, landscaping and other park features. “The new Kierstead Park will have a destination playground, a fl agship fi eld for Little League, and new features and amenities for everyone,” said Mayor Christenson. “This project was designed with our community, our kids, and our climate chief in mind. I’m thrilled to see construction begin on this important project.” “This is a terrifi c project that will create new opportunities for families, kids, and all of our neighbors,” said Councillor Simonelli. “I’m grateful to the Mayor and his team for their continued partnership on this and many other projects in Ward 7.” The new playground will have colorful and accessible play structures, swings and safety surfacing, with lighter, refl ective colors to reduce the heat island eff ect. A large open green space for fl exible uses like picnicking, Three former employees of the now-out-of-business Sichuan Taste Restaurant – formerly in business in Malden Square at 290 Main St. – are seeking over $230,000 in wage theft, overtime pay, tips and damages for the period 2020-2022, before the restaurant abruptly closed a year ago. (File Photo) when the restaurant abruptly shut down. The Sichuan Taste manager retaliated and threatened workers who tried to organize and demand their wages, according to the lawsuit. “When Sichuan Taste failed to pay us, I felt stressed like the other workers. We worked hard to make ends meet, and we needed our money to sustain ourselves. Because of the employer’s actions, we could not move on with our lives. We are grateful to have reached out to the Chinese Progressive Association-Boston to learn about our rights and how we can get our wages back,” said Yuan Li, a 21-year-old immigrant from China and a litigant in the case against her former employer, Sichuan Taste. “Paying workers their minimum wages and overtime pay is the bare minimum. All three employees put their sweat and labor into Sichuan Taste, and running and games creates distance between the playground and the Eastern Avenue sidewalk. The ballfield’s backstop and irrigation will be replaced and upgraded, and the fi eld itself will be rotated slightly to improve playability and safety. Other site amenities include new player areas, bleachers, benches, walking paths, lighting, trees, bicycle parking, landscaping, trash receptacles, fencing and utilities. The project is being administered by the City of Malden’s Offi ce of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD). Shadley Associates is the landscape architect and David W. White & Son is the general contractor. Project funding includes $900,000 in the city’s American Rescue Plan Act funds, $400,000 each from the city’s Community Development Block Grant funds, Community Preservation Act funds and the state’s Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities grant program and $350,000 in state earmarks secured by Malden’s legislative delegation. they deserve fair pay for their hard work,” said AOC Director Janet Vo. “We are committed to representing these workers to secure their stolen wages, and we encourage all workers who are suff ering from wage theft and exploitative working conditions to come forward and assert their rights.” Malden is a Greater Boston area city with one of the highest growths of Asian Americans in New England. As of the 2020 Census, over 25% of Malden residents are Asian American, many of whom are immigrants who speak languages other than English. Malden has emerged as a thriving hub for Asian American families and businesses. **** The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, a national organization founded in 1974, protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans. By combining litigation, advocacy, education Construction work begins this month and will be completed in the fall of 2024. For more information on the project, including a rendering of the new improvements, please visit www. cityofmalden.org/kierstead. Need a hall for your special event? The Schiavo Club, located at 71 Tileston Street, Everett is available for your Birthdays, Anniversaries, Sweet 16 parties and more? Call Dennis at (857) 249-7882 for details. and organizing, AALDEF works with Asian American communities across the country to secure human rights for all. AALDEF focuses on critical issues aff ecting Asian Americans, including immigrant rights, voting rights and democracy, economic justice for workers, educational equity, housing and environmental justice and the elimination of anti-Asian violence. **** The Asian Outreach Center at Greater Boston Legal Services provides guidance, referral services and free legal assistance to nearly 1,000 low-income Asian immigrants each year. AOC represents individuals and households in addressing their most basic needs, including workers’ rights, housing displacement, language access, immigrant rights, deportation defense and the support of survivors of interpersonal and anti-Asian violence. AOC collaborates with community-based groups to advocate for positive systemic changes and impactful advocacy throughout the region and state.
8 Publizr Home