Heads You Win--Tales I Lose!

              This page is usually about Exploring everything Arizona has to offer through trips and pictures.  And there are a lot of new ideas, pictures, and Exploring still coming your way!  Please continue to share this new page.    Today I take a different approach.  Being locked in a local issue in an attempt to get paid and get others I have found the pay that they are owed.  I usually save this type of post for MY first and longest running blog page at  www.wyomingjack.blogspot.com      Although I am sure it will appear there also.  If you live in the Benson, Arizona or Tucson---Please take note of this -my main goal now is to spread the word far and wide.  A business --no matter how small should have to follow the rules.  I will try and keep this as short and non bitter as possible.  

    Mar 20 at 10:47 AM

       Last week I made the mistake of taking a job at Lupe's Mexican restaurant in Benson.  After my third day-I asked when I would sign my new hire paper work   and they fired me via e mail.  In three short days of work I learned MANY bad business procedures they use but the most blaring was that they do not pay there workers.  I have found at least 8 more past workers that have not been paid there wages due from working there.  One is owed almost $700.  I have been holding a sign just past the restaurant that says " Lupe's doesn't pay it's workers!!"   They attempted to pay me yesterday---to get rid of me.  But it was a check and the amount was way low.  In fact it added up to me only getting paid $3.00 an hour.   I will be protesting off and on  until everyone I have meet receives there full pay for hours worked.  But it would really help to have more coverage on this  to help spread the word. 

   Before all the sign holding fun--I meet with the manager in the parking lot of the restaurant  to see when I would be receiving pay.   He instantly started cussing me out, and two other workers appeared.  They wanted me to come into the back of the restaurant, but were not offering any pay so I refused.   I came back with some poster board signs and sat just beyond the place -holding them.  The workers came at me, tore up my signs and called the police.  They than tried to block me from getting into my own vehicle.  

  The very next morning I had a new sign---made on wood-so that it would be much harder to break.  I went to the owner of the next door Chevron, and asked permission to stand out front  ---right next to Lupe's.   The restaurant soon called the cops on me---who quickly told me I was perfectly in the legal.  Each day I get lots of community support, and convince others not to eat at the place. 

 I have contacted state agencies at this point--but it has become personal for me now.  I work for myself-- and if I were to hire on more workers--I would have to have record of them, and pay them.  Why does a larger place of business not have to do the same??  I also was lucky enough to have landed a very good job in Tucson--so I am protesting here while I wait on the paper work.   I realize that this for me only adds up to around $100   but $100 is $100.  We have three kids with a mother that is disabled and terminal so we can't afford to eat the cash.  Plus I was under the understanding that I had found a decent job, that would keep me close to my family instead of driving miles to Tucson, in case a medical emergency were to happen.  

    On day three-  the store sent out there dishwasher-punk to hand me a pay check.  It was short pay--in fact it came out that I made $3.00 an hour.  Yes servers make less cash in Arizona, but not that much less.   The dishwasher than asked me to leave.   I said I would when everyone I had found, got the back pay they were owed.  I than did leave---to make a bigger sign.   And returned for several more hours.  

    The next day --we took pictures of the check--to show to the Labor Board --and than my wife took the check back into the restaurant--advising the managers to re calculate the total before the Labor Board did.   I than held my sign just beside the restaurant again.  Something I will continue to do in my spare time until we all see pay or everyone hears about what this place does!    

   PLEASE pass this link to everyone you know in the area!!   And thank you for your time.