Speaking of sweatshops

[Dennis143]

Not sure if this is the right forum for this topic. But, I thought it deserved some discussion.

 

I really don't mean to slam Chinese businessmen/owners, but there are some who are just down right slave owners and traders. Leiqin told me that the owner of the Chinese Buffet that she worked at in Alaska provided an apartment for the Buffet workers. She tells how the owner shut off the heating, as their warmth cost him too much money each month. When she'd come home at night, the interior windows had a sheet of ice over them. And, that many of the workers were getting sick. The workers work from 10am to 11pm - 24/7.

 

She's been receiving phonecalls from one of the Buffet cooks. He tells her that the owner hasn't paid him in four months. He is afraid to go to the police, as he is here illegally and he cannot speak English. He goes on to say that on numerous occasions the owner has hit him. I tell her to tell him to call 911 that the police will help him. I am waiting to hear how this plays out. I am thinking of calling Fairbanks PD myself. Breaks my heart.

[ameriken]

Not sure if this is the right forum for this topic.  But, I thought it deserved some discussion. 

 

I really don't mean to slam Chinese businessmen/owners, but there are some who are just down right slave owners and traders. Leiqin told me that the owner of the Chinese Buffet that she worked at in Alaska provided an apartment for the Buffet workers. She tells how the owner shut off the heating, as their warmth cost him too much money each month. When she'd come home at night, the interior windows had a sheet of ice over them. And, that many of the workers were getting sick. The workers work from 10am to 11pm - 24/7.  

 

She's been receiving phonecalls from one of the Buffet cooks. He tells her that the owner hasn't paid him in four months. He is afraid to go to the police, as he is here illegally and he cannot speak English. He goes on to say that on numerous occasions the owner has hit him.   I tell her to tell him to call 911 that the police will help him. I am waiting to hear how this plays out.  I am thinking of calling Fairbanks PD myself.  Breaks my heart.

216949[/snapback]

Very sad, this ties right in to the discussion about businesses hiring illegals and the need to do something about illegal immigration. The business owner knows he has the illegals by the b-lls.

 

I think in todays environment, the business owner has more to fear than the worker........

Edited May 22, 2006 by ameriken (see edit history)

[georgeandli]

Ah there's the rub.The owner has them by the short hairs. Complain and be deported or suffer. I don't blame anyone but the employer. Make him live with the workers.

[Yuanyang]

That's why some of the business community doesn't want a crack down on illegal!

[Dan R]

Nor do the employees as this is the way they can make enough money to send home. However the employer has more to loose because he may be facing prison time for tax evasion and insurance fraud. Unfortunately it usually takes an employee willing to come forward for IRS to investigate.

 

Perhaps the route to take would be for several employees to report wage violations to the Alaskan Labor Board. In California I know they don't ask about illegality and they will force the employer to pay for three years back anything below minimum wage including overtime pay. The catch is the employees will have to pay taxes.

 

Without getting into the employment side since the boss is also a landlord, there must be a housing authority yo report the heating and other conditions to.

[frank1538]

One of the most difficult things I've had to explain to Jingwen is the different layers of law enforcement in the US. To her all police are US police. I try to explain that the federal government is responsible for some things like immigration and state and local governments are responsible for other things like traffic and crimes. Despite this, I'm not sure it has sunk in that the local police generally are not going to get involved in immigration matters, and I suspect this perception permeates throughout the immigrant population.

 

It frosts me that unsuspecting immigrants, where here legally or not, are preyed upon employers who reinforce that perception. I don't know about Alaska, but Atlanta has a number of non profit organizations that deal specifically with these types of problems.

[yuan fen]

Not sure if this is the right forum for this topic.  But, I thought it deserved some discussion. 

 

I really don't mean to slam Chinese businessmen/owners, but there are some who are just down right slave owners and traders. Leiqin told me that the owner of the Chinese Buffet that she worked at in Alaska provided an apartment for the Buffet workers. She tells how the owner shut off the heating, as their warmth cost him too much money each month. When she'd come home at night, the interior windows had a sheet of ice over them. And, that many of the workers were getting sick. The workers work from 10am to 11pm - 24/7. 

 

She's been receiving phonecalls from one of the Buffet cooks. He tells her that the owner hasn't paid him in four months. He is afraid to go to the police, as he is here illegally and he cannot speak English. He goes on to say that on numerous occasions the owner has hit him.   I tell her to tell him to call 911 that the police will help him. I am waiting to hear how this plays out.  I am thinking of calling Fairbanks PD myself.  Breaks my heart.

216949[/snapback]

This kills me everytime.

 

There is a Chinese resturant in town which I would frequent, and I actually took one of my Shang hai colleagues out to eat there once. The owner has always appeared fair when speaking to his employees, but then I had the feeling he was putting on a show of some sort while my friend and I were eating. All of a sudden he was like some high and mighty A Hole. I felt it was a statement that he was proving he was the " Big Boss " .

 

This is a case where it is not for show.

 

Hopefully the authorities will give the owner a lesson in " by the short hairs " .

[Dennis143]

An update on the Alaskan Chinese Buffet:

 

Well, my wife tells me that the Chinese owners (man and his wife) of the buffet skipped town.

 

Seems they hadn't paid the workers in over four months. The workers called the police and the police served the owners papers. The next morning, when the workers went to work, the owners didn't show. Their whereabouts are unknown and they have been gone for a week. The Buffet is being boarded up.

 

Leiqin's friend tells her that his back pay equals $9000. Not sure what if anything the Fairbanks community are going to do with these people.

[mercator]

They should stay low key. Don't go marching the streets of Fairbanks waiving Chinese flags and demanding to be citizens. That would be stupid and it would give the wrong impression.

 

(end sarcasm)

[Dennis143]

They should stay low key.  Don't go marching the streets of Fairbanks waiving Chinese flags and demanding to be citizens.  That would be stupid and it would give the wrong impression.

 

(end sarcasm)

221161[/snapback]

Good point, Merc. But, it seems to have worked pretty good for other illegals.

 

I don't think Fairbanks PD is going to get involved with immigration. Leiqin's friend tells her that he will be returning to LA. So, my guess is the FPD may just give them a few bucks and a one-way ticket back to wherever USA.

 

I am sure this thing happens everyday - only in America, eh.

[Dan R]

They should stay low key.  Don't go marching the streets of Fairbanks waiving Chinese flags and demanding to be citizens.  That would be stupid and it would give the wrong impression.

 

(end sarcasm)

221161[/snapback]

Good point, Merc. But, it seems to have worked pretty good for other illegals.

 

I don't think Fairbanks PD is going to get involved with immigration. Leiqin's friend tells her that he will be returning to LA. So, my guess is the FPD may just give them a few bucks and a one-way ticket back to wherever USA.

 

I am sure this thing happens everyday - only in America, eh.

221164[/snapback]

When they return here they should be able to enter the mainstream Chinese L.A. life and get jobs easily. There are many Chinese restaurants opening.