State Tells Palis Cafe to Give Workers Their Pay

Workers at the recently opened Palis Cafe on Madison’s near west side are standing up against wage theft and continuing to demand their pay. 

Two workers, Shannon and Andres, came to the Workers’ Rights Center in November to report that they had not been paid for months of work. They finally quit their jobs after multiple requests for their pay to Palis Cafe’s owner, Meshel Aldaee, fell on deaf ears. They were fed up and wanted to take action. 

An initial call by the WRC to Aldaee led to partial payment but the workers say they are still owed thousands of dollars. Aldaee claimed he promised a much lower hourly rate of pay and has repeatedly failed to follow through on promises to produce a check. In all, four workers from the Palis Cafe filed wage claims with the Department of Workforce Development.

Aldaee is also owner of the popular King of Falafel on Gilman Street. Despite snow storms and frigid temperatures, the WRC mobilized noontime pickets at both restaurants over the last few months.

“Because of the employer’s failure to pay, these workers who have small children at home, have been forced to seek food stamps and heating and rent assistance,” says WRC Director Patrick Hickey.

An investigator with the Department of Workforce Development rejected Aldaee’s claim that he promised a lower wage rate, castigated the employer for poor and non-existent record keeping and ordered that the employer pay the workers the money they are owed. The workers are preparing to go to small claims court to demand double lost wages plus attorney’s fees if Aldaee does not pay promptly.