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slestak Donating Member (403 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-24-06 12:39 PM
Original message
Don't eat at Weck's
I was there a few weeks ago with my wife and kid, and while we were waiting for our food to arrive, I started reading one of the placards on the table.

It said (I'm paraphrasing) that Weck's had teamed up with this childcare organization and was asking patrons to donate their pocket change into a baby bottle up on the front counter by the register.

The placard said (again, paraphrasing here): "$2.50 buys a bottle of formula" and I'm like "OK", then "$5.25 buys a package of diapers" and I'm starting to get warmed up to the idea of plunking some change into the bottle.

The last item said "Fifty cents buys a crisis pregnancy edition of the New Testament".

I was like WTF? So I asked my wife "What the hell is a "crisis pregnancy edition"? and she confirmed my suspicions: "It's the New Testament with all the anti-abortion stuff highlighted."

And all the stuff in the restaurant about this program had Weck's name featured on it. It's not like the organization just dropped it off. So, there ya go. Weck's supports these "childcare" organizations that lie to and intimidate women.

I had already ordered my food, so I ate it and paid for it, but I'm never setting foot in there again, and I've told everyone I know who is a progressive about this. So now the word is out here at DU and I hope you'll join me in my mini-boycott.

The Owl Cafe has better breakfast anyway ;)

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NMDemDist2 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-24-06 07:13 PM
Response to Original message
1. they must be doing it all over the state. I saw a similar thing in the
Courthouse Cafe in Carlsbad

not only did the food suck, they had this crap on their table too! :puke:
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slestak Donating Member (403 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-25-06 10:11 AM
Response to Reply #1
2. Good to know
I don't get down there that often but will keep it in mind.

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TygrBright Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jul-26-06 12:03 AM
Response to Original message
3. heheh... Like to see some restaurant try that up here...
...in Santa Fe. Lotta causes we'll support (including some that make me roll my eyes, too...) but lying to and intimidating vulnerable young women ain't one of 'em.

progressively,
Bright
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blonndee Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-27-06 05:37 PM
Response to Original message
4. Hilarious! Um, and...WHAT anti-abortion stuff in the NT?
There's nothing, unless they want to do some kind of selective interpretation. Oh, wait...that seems to be par for the course for the anti-choicers.
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slestak Donating Member (403 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jul-28-06 03:02 PM
Response to Reply #4
5. I dunno
I don't think I could stomache reading one. But it definitely said "Crisis Pregnancy Edition of the New Testament"...
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lefthandedskyhook Donating Member (340 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-10-06 08:45 PM
Response to Original message
6. Too bad
Thanks for the tip. Haven't been there much, and I'll not darken their door again.
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Pawel K Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-05-06 09:30 PM
Response to Original message
7. Just ate there this weekend
as much as I like their food I will never eat there again. Thanks.
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Arugula Latte Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Nov-05-06 08:26 PM
Response to Original message
8. Let them know why you will not eat there.
And also let them know you are spreading the word on the Internet.
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vestige of acumen Donating Member (3 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-14-08 11:20 PM
Response to Original message
9. Weck's
Edited on Tue Oct-14-08 11:24 PM by vestige of acumen
Slestak, I'm very glad this forum is here. I can give you a laundry list of reasons to never eat at or be employed by Weck's. The reason that fundraiser is there is because Art Kaplan the owner is a hardcore Christian. My husband until today was a manager there, and I waited tables while I attend college. The longer he worked there the more gross and odd this place became. The operational manager that has been in his position since Kaplan purchased this restaurant, was pushed out to practically a demotion of GM over seeing one store, Whilst Kaplan brought in another hardcore Christian like himself to replace his job. My friend told me that the new christian operational manager forces the kitchen to play Christian music only, when he is at her location. Twice my husband was pitted against coworkers to fight (not physically) each other for GM positions that neither one ever ended up getting. Once an employee, was in the back where no customers could hear, thinking said employee was alone, softly said a mild cuss word under her breath to herself over a mistake made, and Kaplan heard this and told the employee if he ever heard her cuss again she was fired. Manager's work 60-85 hours a week including having to work on days off when asked, and having to use their own automobiles to deliver food and do caters on a regular basis. Managers time clocks are erased every day leaving no record of when and how long a manager has worked. I was just informed today by an employee that it has been heard, that managers are being told to edit server's claimed tips, and if a server tips do not add up to minimum wage, then managers are to change the server's tip claim to look like they made minimum wage.Servers at one location are saving clock out receipts to compare to their check stubs to prove if their tip claims have been forged. My husband whom hurt his back (and could not walk) took his vacation time to have some days off to let his back heal because of doctors orders. He went back to work early before his back had healed, because he was asked to hurry and get back to work, so he did and then a week later, (because his back was not healed) hurt his back worse unloading the truck for the restaurant. He could not stand but still finished the day, and had an emergency appointment to see the doctor that evening so he could avoid needing more time off, but was not allowed to go to his appointment and forced to work late. He went into work the next day barely able to walk and was told to go home. My husband told them he would see the doctor ASAP and be back to work. He went to the doctor on Monday, called his boss, and said he would be there the next day (which is today). He arrives at work and is immediately called into the office and fired for missing 8 days total because of his back, and is told he should have gone to the doctor sooner,(but if you remember he was kept from going to his appointment and forced to work late.) He has a doctors note stating he should not work, but apparently this does not matter to them and was fired anyway. He was also told at least two other managers would be fired today as well. But why? I wonder what crappy reason they will think up to fire them? It seems to me that my husband was just not Christian enough to work there. In all the time he worked there, he worked his butt off for no thanks or recognition of a job well done. He did not call in sick, went to work even when he was sick and worked many many many days off and after hour caters for $2,000 a month, only to be called in out of the blue and fired. My husband in 34 yrs of life has never ever been fired, because he is a hard worker and and is respectfully and kind to everyone. He for quite a while was forced to do GM work and attend GM meetings on days off, but not for GM pay!!!. In my opinion The higher ups at Weck's have no respect or appreciation for their employees,and treat them like disposable objects, and screw them on pay. My husbands treatment is not an isolated event. And if this immoral tale is not enough to make ones stomach churn, Weck's claims their food is homemade, I guess that depends on your version of homemade. I myself don't consider almost all food precooked, premade, out a can, frozen and prepackaged as being homemade. But don't forget those great homemade cookies when you leave cause they are about as homemade as chip ahoy. They god knows how old, are individually packed, and are taken out of their original package and wrapped in plastic wrap to make them look homemade, mmmmmmmm enjoy. There is s good chance that the bacon your eating there today was not even cooked today, but don't worry it was cooked yesterday or the day before and left at room temp all day, but I'm sure thats fine. Hope you carry antibacterial gel, cause your lemons, tortilla's, many of your meals are touch regularly by random bare employee hands, and if you think I'm kidding, hang out in the kitchen, but don't blame the employees they aren't made or given the time time handle food properly. All restaurants have their grossness it's almost unavoidable, but I have never seen a restaurant not even a corporate one that treats it's hard working employees with such disregard. For such a Christian man, in my opinion, Kaplan is not good Christian employer, but maybe the laws of his bible only apply when he is at church. My husband can't even get them to give him a copy of the termination sheet he signed. The laws in this state are not on the side of the employees, which I guess is good for Kaplan.
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NMDemDist2 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-08 08:06 PM
Response to Reply #9
10. welcome to DU and PLEASE, the 'return' key is your friend
my old eyes have trouble tracking over that big a block of unbroken text

:hi:
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SheilaT Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-08 10:56 PM
Response to Reply #9
11. Another welcome to DU, and
a reminder that paragraphs are your friend.

There are federal laws about overtime pay, and also, I believe about tips and the minimum wage. Employees need to contact a good employment law attorney.

But what is Weck's? Where in NM are they? I am now living in Santa Fe and don't believe I've seen such a chain here.
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vestige of acumen Donating Member (3 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-18-08 02:40 AM
Response to Reply #11
12. Weck's
Sorry I forget about paragraphs when I'm on the computer. They do have federal laws but most don't apply to New Mexico it is a right to work state. I have contacted the Federal board of labor, and was told to contact the New Mexico Board of Labor. I was told that in NM there are very few employee rights, and there was nothing they can do.

There is no overtime pay on salary, and what is crap is that they can work you an unlimited about of hours and not pay extra, but can take pay if you get sick and miss a day. The tip thing is illegal if they are indeed doing it(employees are checking on it). I believe erasing manager time clocks everyday is illegal also, but how do you prove it.

Weck's is a bland boring restaurant in Alb (about 7 locations) and one in Lewisville TX. We have no legal recourse, but my husbands treatment is not isolated. There are many unhappy employees that I know. It seems like certain employees are being targeted and we can't figure out why. My husband was fired for something stupid, but some managers have had serious infractions and not been fired. One manager called in cause they were to drunk to come to work, but they are not fired. That is just one example.

Ever since the new operational manager has been at Weck's it has got weirder and weirder, kinda like a cult pushing out all the non believers.
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SheilaT Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-19-08 11:52 AM
Response to Reply #12
13. There are federal laws
about whether someone on salary is exempt from overtime or not. You might want to check in with an attorney who handles employment law and find out if your husband's job is truly exempt. I believe the standard is generally that a person actually is in management. If he is, and therefore is truly exempt from overtime, the solution is to go to work for a company that pays better or actually pays overtime.

It bothers me that so many people are totally convinced that it is completely impossible to get a different job, and so stay in one where they are abused, underpaid, and so on. Very rarely is it not possible to get a different job.

But more to the point, if your husband was entitled to overtime he wasn't paid for, he ought to look into suing. Class action suits against big companies have been successful. But if this isn't possible, please try to move on, and work elsewhere. Losing a job is never fun or easy, and it's always hard to start all over again. Know that people here are thinking good thoughts in your direction.
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vestige of acumen Donating Member (3 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Oct-20-08 02:44 AM
Response to Reply #13
14. Weck's
We are not even after them for overtime pay, he has been a salaried manger in the restaurant industry for a long time, and no overtime pay is just part of the job, he's accepted that. He left a restaurant a while back for abuse and took the job with Weck's because they portrayed themselves as a business that treated it's employees fairly. He dedicated himself to them, he did nothing wrong and then was fired out of the blue.

I have found out a lot about federal and state employee laws because of the last job he had the one he left for Weck's. I found out there are federal laws, but each state has it's own laws that can trump the federal ones in certain areas. Federal law says an employer has to have a serious financial reason or the employee has to be breaking rules and or doings ones job poorly to be fired. New Mexico is a right work state and employees can be terminated for any reason at any time. I have talked to a lawyer and was told basically the same thing.

He has been in the restaurant industry for twelve years, and it is an industry that seems to treat it's employees as though are disposable. He has tried to leave the restaurant industry and could find a job nowhere else, he even applied to be a mailman and was told he would have a job within 3yrs, we have been waiting 4yrs for that call, ha ha. His resume is every where but there are few jobs out there, and only one job has even called him back, and thats cause he knows the manager. So we are crossing our fingers for that job.

It is a little hard to move on gracefully when one has never been fired before, and he works his butt off and is fired for no reason. In an economy that sucks where jobs are scarce, you have a mortgage a car payment, children, a disabled father you take care of, and he is putting me through college with no income, so he doesn't have to work in the restaurant industry anymore. And we have been very careful not get ourselves into debt or live above our means. I can only imagine those that haven't.

My purpose for this blog is to inform people that don't already know what kind of place Weck's is (and many other businesses in this state, so consumers can make a moral decision to patron or not. I also feel New Mexicans need to open their eyes, do some research and realize how few right we as employees have in this state. New Mexicans need to stand up and demand more rights and laws to protect us. I have no interest in money or law suits. Just a state and country where hard work and good work ethics are rewarded and protected.

We will not be pursuing his case with a lawyer or the board of labor they don't care. I will will be contacting senators and our congress to ask them to push for more employee rights in this state.
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SheilaT Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Oct-20-08 08:05 AM
Response to Reply #14
15. You need to contact
your state legislatures to change state laws, if what you want are more employee rights in this state, beyond the federal laws.

And there are other jobs out there, including other restaurant management jobs, although you are right, restaurants and retail both treat employees like disposable tissue. Perhaps taking some kind of vocational training at your nearest community college so as to be able to enter some completely different field is in order.

Do keep up the good fight.
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New Mexico Donating Member (16 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Nov-06-08 02:04 PM
Response to Original message
16. The Religious Folk Seem Intent On Converting Everyone
I know that at one restaurant in Raton they sell religious things in there. And at a pizza place in Springer I thought I was in a church. And the further south and east you go in NM the worse it gets. And lots of people praying in restaurants too, not a private prayer but loud so folks can see/hear them praying.
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diliji9 Donating Member (1 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-11-08 04:53 PM
Response to Original message
17. Weck's
Weck's has great food, and if you are a true democrat you believe in a woman's right to choose so sending a Bible out shouldn't effect her decision either way. Weck's does a lot for the community, and democrats like you give the rest of a us a bad name.
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NMDemDist2 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-11-08 11:10 PM
Response to Reply #17
18. welcome to DU, but as a Dem I vote with my wallet every day
that's why I don't shop at WalMart (which in my small town is quite an accomplishment)

I don't go to the good downtown cafe because it OFFENDS me that there are anti abortion tracts on the table.

YMMV
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comanchero Donating Member (74 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-27-09 01:08 PM
Response to Reply #17
20. Good food and religious politics
do not mix. Why would I want to eat at a place that insults my sense of politics or church. Let me eat just reading the newspaper.
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abqmufc Donating Member (590 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-19-09 11:16 AM
Response to Original message
19. Loyola's Family Rest. on Central....
is another option. i eat their at least once a weekend. Not sure their politics....but regardless it is not in your face. I agree Wecks a bit too much in your face with their ideas.
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