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

Continue reading Cleveland’s Own “Sweat” Shop

Tennesseans, like others around the country, have watched in horror as the effective enforcement of labor standards dramatically declined. Many employers in the state have been quick to take advantage of a climate that has privileged business interests over workers and their unions.  Meanwhile, many agencies charged with upholding workplace standards have lacked the resources, or in some cases the political will, to firmly and consistently enforce the law. And it’s workers and their families that have paid the price!

This fall, Jobs with Justice of East Tennessee (based in Knoxville), Middle Tennessee Jobs with Justice (based in Nashville), and the Worker Interfaith Network of Memphis joined forces in a statewide effort to bring to light some of the worst cases of abuse, such as wage theft and violations of workplace health and safety.

Targeting primarily the Tennessee Department of Labor and the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA), the 3 groups are gearing up for a statewide series of workers’ rights board hearings to receive testimony from immigrant workers who have had their pay withheld for no

Continue reading Tennessee Hosts Traveling Workers’ Rights Board Tour on Wage Theft and Safety Violations