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California restaurant had fake priest hear workers’ confessions, Labor Department says (www.catholicnewsagency.com)

submitted 1 year ago by alyaza@beehaw.org to c/news@beehaw.org

8 comments fedilink hide all child comments

a Not the Onion moment for sure:

A California restaurant had an individual impersonate a priest to encourage employees to confess their “sins” against their employer, but the man has no links with the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento, a diocese spokesman said.

The U.S. Department of Labor on June 12 said the use of the supposed priest was “among the most shameless” of corrupt actions employers have used against employees. The situation concerns the company Che Garibaldi Inc., which operates two Taqueria Garibaldi restaurants in Sacramento and one in Roseville. The company and its owners and operators have agreed to a federal settlement after allegations of various labor law violations.

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[–] ag_roberston_author@beehaw.org 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This whole scenario is insane.

Using a fake priest to get dirt on workers. Somehow it being normal enough to hire a priest to talk to workers that he thought this wouldn't raise suspicion. The workers actually talking to this priest.

And of course the kicker, the employer just gets off with a fine and no actual penalties.

if the penalty for a crime is a fine, then that law only exists for the poor

[–] grus@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago

This whole scenario is insane.

It shouldn't be. Folks need to keep in mind that these kind of corporatist scum will quite literally kill however many people they need as long as they'd get away with it, all in the name of profit.
The reason they don't do that is because they're afraid of getting caught.

if the penalty for a crime is a fine, then that law only exists for the poor

Spot on.

[–] Skelectus@suppo.fi 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'm in awe of the audacity of this plot, but the weirder part I learned is that a company having employees confess to a priest is considered normal.

[–] psudo@beehaw.org 4 points 1 year ago

I doubt it's normal so much as taking advantage of mostly immigrant labor's faith.

[–] skepticalifornia@beehaw.org 12 points 1 year ago

This sounds like something the management saw on a Mexican soap opera, what a bizarre way to treat employees. The settlement comes out to around $5k per employee - not enough, they should really feel some pain from doing something like this. I live in the area and have seen these restaurats - thankfully I have never eaten at one that I can remember.

[–] VenoraTheBarbarian@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 1 year ago

What is WRONG with people?? Who comes up with ideas like this and then puts them into action?

Yet another reason to refuse to bow to religious authority. Humans aren't responsible enough to wield that authority, and charlatan's are too easy to come by.

[–] buckykat@lemmy.fmhy.ml 3 points 1 year ago

A little bit of extra grossness that this business is named Che Garibaldi Inc.

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