Think about working in temperatures, upwards of 100 degrees on hot days. Finding used hypodermic needles; human body parts, fluids and excrement; umbilical cords and other biohazard material from the Cleveland Clinic hospital system. No safety harnesses for workers climbing over 10 feet in the air on scissor lifts. Nonexistent water breaks and a minimal amount of fans to cool the facility on extremely hot days. Now think about enduring all of this while earning $8.34 an hour. Think I am talking about a sweatshop located in a third world country? Well, think again.
I have just described some of the horrible conditions Sodexo Laundry workers in Cleveland, Ohio face on a daily basis. It doesn’t stop there either. Poor ventilation and circulation of the air causes oppressive heat inside the plant, even during cold weather. One worker described going in and out of the plant like, “going from a stove to a refrigerator.” Doors are thrown open in the winter, sending bone chilling drafts into areas of the facility, just increasing the uncomfortable surroundings the workers have to face. Machines are overloaded and workers are expected to meet production by any means possible.
One wonders how these conditions can
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