Making the Feds Model Employers

[Joanne98]

Obama must put a stop to worker abuse by private contractors

A little over a year ago, roughly 500 workers assembled and sewed backpacks, safety vests and other gear for the military at the Michael Bianco Inc. factory in New Bedford, Mass. According to U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan, they worked under “deplorable” conditions in a “typical sweatshop,” except that it was operated entirely with federal contract dollars.

Workers nominally made $7.20 an hour, but they typically earned less after Bianco imposed fines—such as $20 for spending more than two minutes in the restroom (where the company limited the toilet paper), $20 for leaving their work for break before the bell rang, and $20 for talking to other workers.

Most workers had no health insurance and were systematically cheated out of time-and-a-half pay for their extensive overtime. Many had to rely on food stamps and other public assistance programs to survive. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration charged the factory with violating safety standards, such as operating with locked fire exits. Workers also accused the owners of inadequately heating workrooms in the winter and not ventilating them in the summer.

http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/4145/making_the_feds_model_employers

[Captain Hilts]

1. The FLRB has had most important posts VACANT for a year. Completely de-fanged. nt

[Omaha Steve]

2. Many government contracts have living wage clauses

What happened here? Why wasn't the contract canceled? Happens all the time.