Boston, MA- A group of Latino immigrant workers, members of Centro Presente and the Chelsea Collaborative, are launching a week of action to demand justice. More than 30 Latino immigrant workers, who were employed by local cleaning company franchises contracted to clean and maintain several Legal Seafood and The Cheesecake Factory restaurants in the Greater Boston area did not receive payment for regular and overtime hours. Their cases are pending with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office.
The purpose of the week of action is to raise awareness of the labor exploitation that immigrant workers are facing and to shine a light on this particular case. During the week of action the workers will be visiting the local cleaning companies and the restaurants, organizing activities with the local press and holding a vigil. In the past year the workers have been organizing themselves and demanding their legitimate rights as workers. «Wage and hour laws apply to all workers, including immigrants. The workers are using their fundamental right to organize and are demanding the payment of their salaries, but more than that they are demanding the respect of their dignity as workers,» emphasized Yessenia Alfaro, Director of Organizing of the Chelsea Collaborative.
«All the companies involved in this story are trying to avoid their moral responsibility to the workers, but it is the economic system that they are a part of and take advantage of that permits this exploitation. We are providing a space for the workers to raise their voices and demand justice,» said Patricia Montes, Executive Director of Centro Presente.
