Some Clothing Workers in Los Angeles Earn as Little as $1.58 an Hour, Labor Department Finds
Source: CBS News
Fashionistas who buy garments labeled "Made in USA" may be unwittingly contributing to workers' wage theft, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Labor.
A random sweep of 50 garment manufacturers in Los Angeles found that 80% were breaking wage and hour laws, regulators said. The agency also found that 64% didn't keep accurate time and pay records, while more than half either paid workers off the books or falsified or didn't provide such information.
More than half the contractors paid workers off the books and either falsified time and pay records or didn't provide them, according to the agency.
The contractors made clothing for major national brands including Dillard's, Lulus, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Socialite, Stitch Fix and Von Maur, the Labor Department said.
About one-third of the apparel makers paid their workers according to how many items they produced, instead of an hourly rate something California explicitly outlawed more than a year ago. Paying workers a "piece rate" often leads to sub-minimum wages. One contractor paid workers $1.58 per hour, the agency's investigation found.
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/garment-factory-los-angeles-pay-minimum-wage/
pecosbob
(8,170 posts)MichMan
(16,186 posts)Unemployment is super low right now and employers are begging for help & paying above minimum wage. Why on earth would someone continue working for substandard wages ?
Merlot
(9,696 posts)Judi Lynn
(163,984 posts)They could be completely unaware of how little they are really being paid.
Damn these monsters to hell.
They are very successful capitalists, by god.
If they pay their employee far less than he/she really should earn, they win. They are stealing their lives.
stopdiggin
(14,613 posts)MichMan
(16,186 posts)stopdiggin
(14,613 posts)but a very big one would be 'off the books' paid in cash type of transactions. Read vulnerable and easily exploited populations. And 'no records' is a desirable option in some quarters.
hamsterjill
(16,684 posts)Assholes who take advantage of the disadvantaged.
How can someone do that to another human being and go home and sleep at night!!
moonshinegnomie
(3,721 posts)make the company pay 100% of th eprofits for the last 5 years to the employees. also make the top exec pay the employees their entire salary for the last 5 years.
If the company cant pay then the company is seized and given to the employees. if the exec cant pay then seize 100% of their assets
LoisB
(11,949 posts)Get Me Outta Here
(97 posts)I make gigantic piles more translating by piece rates than by translating by shitty hourly rates. (Call me when min wages exceeds $100/hr.)
ProfessorGAC
(75,032 posts)Just a rotten comment on this thread.
You should be ashamed of yourself.
Astraea
(529 posts)Turn it into a co-op.
Bayard
(27,619 posts)To see how many of these workers have now been fired since the companies had a spotlight turned on them.
I bet these may be the only jobs a lot of these people can get.
Response to ruet (Original post)
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Delphinus
(12,460 posts)And I agree - this is inhumane and needs to be addressed.
IronLionZion
(50,231 posts)Contracting is in major need of reforms. Companies shouldn't get away with transferring their abuses to contracting firms.
flying_wahini
(8,217 posts)People who live underground are at the mercy of these companies.
Which is exactly why the GOP doesnt want to fix it.
MONEY is their god.