LAistory: The Cocoanut Grove
Where to Watch the Fireworks Tonight in Los Angeles County
Too Tipsy? Take a Triple A Tow.
He's Baaaaaack
MIXist: 4th of July
We've learned, via Peggy Archer's blog, Totally Unauthorized," that someone has posted a rant about the mall of the moment on the restaurant worker blog, Bitter Waitress (scroll down to find the story, #6 in the queue.
The post details The Grove management's policy of charging mall employees for parking in the mall's parking structure. Due to this policy, many workers park for free outside the lot and face long walks to their cars at night. This can be a health hazard; so far, two workers have been stabbed to death while trying to get to their cars. In April of 2005, a waiter named Eric Gelman was stabbed to death and another waiter was stabbed to death earlier this month (we've looked in vain for a news item about this latest killing. Anybody have more info on this, send it and we'll post an update).
To add insult to injury, Rick Caruso, the The Grove's owner, won't allow employees to park in the parking structure at all on weekends, forcing them to pay $5 a day to park in the CBS TV Studio parking lot, which involves another hike to and from work.
Apparently, the mall owners punish restaurant workers who ignore the rule against parking in the structure on the weekend by charging a higher penalty fee beyond the parking maximum rate. The Bitter Waitress anonymous poster says "Then I say , next time you working late in the weekend, I give you money for parking in the garage, even you $12.00 maximum rate. She say,"Mama they raise the maximum rate. Is more than 12$ maximum for parking, they raise it to keep employees out of the parking so the customers can park and eating in the Cheesecake Factory."
If the employees go ahead and park in the structure on weekends, paying the maximum rate, how does management know to raise the maximum rate higher for the employees?
We don't know if this story is the real deal, but even if it's not, sounds like the Grove treats its service workers so badly that they have to post on Bitter Waitress. It must be the Bad Grove that harasses the service workers vital to its success.
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I love the fact that GETTING STABBED TO DEATH hasn't effected Caruso in trying to insure safety to his employees unless they give him his tribute money.
They aren't serfs.
As a one-time Grove serf, I can attest that what's written here is true, although some of the better employers there do opt to buy parking passes for their employees, which allow access to the roof of the lot during the week and covered entry to the CBS lot on weekends.
It's worth noting, though, that business owners there don't have an easy time of it, either. I worked at a kiosk which ultimately failed. The insanely high rent and enormous pressures put on the lessees to conform to often absurd requirements (including forced extended hours of operation during the holiday season) put all but the most massive of the major outlets there in constant jeopardy. Great money-laundering scheme for ownership...rather raw deal for everyone under them. But then, that pretty much describes our whole society, doesn't it?
The interesting thing about the first waiter stabbed is that it was not a bad area at all! I just looked it up on the map, and it's right below Beverly, across from the CBS center. I park near there every time I go to the mall (3 times a year?) because I'm a little claustrophobic, and, oh, hell, yes, cheap. Anyway, I would NOT call that a bad area, especially 10 pm on a Sunday evening, quiet time in the big city. Someone has put this on the silence radar.
Also, I agree with what the mom said, in theory, but the rhythm of her English reminded me a lot of the person who writes Manolo's Shoe Blog....who "is," of course, Italian. Hmm.
Funny, I don't think Mr. Caruso plunged the knife into that poor waiter. I don't see anyone blaming our miserable criminal justice system or our understaffed LAPD for the crime.
It's a $5 fee people. Pay it and be safe. Or go buy one cup of overpriced coffee.
Damn, jjj, you beat me too it. What next, shall we blame the tipping customers when waiters are stabbed? A $5 parking fee is nothing compared to your life.