Workers Say Boathouse Charges $8 For Bottled Tap Water

The Central Park Boathouse (christiNYCa).

People have been selling packaged New York City tap water for years...but charging $8-a-pop per bottle for the champagne of municipal waters? That's a little rich for our blood. And yet that is exactly what the striking workers at the Central Park Boathouse say that operator Dean Poll has had them charge for bottles of filtered tap water for years.

Gatecrasher noted this weekend that the striking employees outside the Boathouse were handing out bottles of "REAL and FREE Bottled Spring Water" near the waterfront restaurant as part of their protest. On the bottles? Their "Dump Dean" slogan along with the claim that he "cheats his employees and the taxpayers of New York City."

Dean Poll, the Boathouse's operator, is under a lot of pressure these days. In addition to the striking workers he's also got a sexual harassment suit regarding employees at the Boathouse and the National Labor Relations Board is investigating him because of allegations that managers interrogated, intimidated, and in some cases fired workers who supported unionization. In the wake of the ongoing strike some politicians are even pushing to have Poll's license to operate the Boathouse taken away. Oh, and also? Turns out the place is pretty filthy. You can learn a whole lot more about the Boathouse worker's complaints and strike (which the restaurant says is not hurting business) right here.

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By Garth Johnston in Food on August 23, 2011 11:15 AM

Comments [rss]

whiteiris

More union thug tactics. Screw them and support the Boathouse. Unions and Bloomberg are the reason for the demise of Tavern on the Green. Disgusting.

smorrebrod

I've never been able to use this phrase, but this is the perfect opportunity!

Obvious troll is obvious.

Gosh, I'm so giddy with joy!

GrandInquisitor78

This place is filthy, and loud, and covered with protesters. Pick another spot until the strike is over.

airtech1

Yup, I do my weekly runs right past there --- no way that this isn't "hurting business." Who can sit there and eat a quiet meal for two is beyond me -- maybe a European tourist.

Guest

See, this is why we have to save the rich from paying higher taxes. Don't you want them to have $8 water, so they're refreshed enough to "create jobs?"

winning1234

You know what I do in this free market, capitalist society when the price is too high? I don't buy. I'm always amazed when people complain about prices. Utilities? Fine, that I understand. David Chang charging a lot for Coke? Don't buy it then. Boathouse charges $8 for tap water? Don't buy it!

GrandInquisitor78

True, but it is marketed deceptively. Wait staff is instructed to offer "tap or bottled water", when in fact they only have one choice: NYC tap.

dogbertt

$12/hr for the rowboats is not that bad, though.

Roger_the_Shrubber

Don't eat there.

Mr. Know-It-All

Not surprising for a restaurant that used to charge $22 for a nicoise salad made with canned tuna.

HughGass

While I don't disagree with your price complaint, traditionally a proper nicoise is not made with fresh or seared tuna. That is an american concoction. It's made with either canned or jarred tuna found in the medditerranean, but certainly not chicken of the sea or bumble bee type stuff.