By Jennifer Glickel
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MEATPACKING DISTRICT — Famed chef and restaurateur Mario Batali is not only facing a lawsuit from his employees, but also protests outside of his high-end Meatpacking District restaurant Del Posto, Wednesday.
Protesters took to the streets on Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reported, led by the Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York.
More than 20 workers participated in the protest outside of the 10th Avenue restaurant, carrying signs that said things like, "Mario Batali…pay your workers," Eater NY reported.
Several former employees of Babbo, another of the famed chef's restaurants, filed a lawsuit against Batali and his partner Joe Bastianich on July 22, alleging the restaurateurs were skimming employees’ tips.
On July 29, the suit was amended to include complaints from former workers at several of the pair’s other restaurants, including Otto, Casa Mono, Bar Jamon, Lupa and Tarry Lodge, according to New York magazine’s food blog, "Grub Street."
The ROC has filed complaints against Batali and Bastianich’s group on behalf of approximately 35 employees at Del Posto, as well as a list of changes they would like to see made. As with the others, the Del Posto employees complained of tip misappropriation, but also added sexual harassment and racial discrimination to the list of the restaurateur’s alleged offenses.
"We’re still speaking with the company," ROC’s co-director Rekha Eanni-Rodriguez told the Journal. "I don’t think they really have a sincere interest to fix things. We’re at the point where the workers wanted to really take actions."
