'We work non-stop': LA garment workers toil for top brands and earn paltry rate

[marmar]

(Guardian UK) Thousands of garment workers in Los Angeles who make pants, shirts, blouses and other clothing for a variety of well-known fashion labels are paid less than minimum wage through a piece-rate payment system that compensates workers just a few cents per article of clothing.

Works say they typically work from 7am to 6pm Monday through Friday, and an additional five hours on Saturday – about 60 hours a week with no overtime pay, which results in overall wages at $5 an hour or less, far below California’s statewide minimum wage of $14 an hour for companies with more than 26 employees.

“We work non-stop. We don’t take any breaks, but make anywhere from $250 to $300 per week,” said one worker who requested to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation and to protect her undocumented status.

During the pandemic, the worker explained that her employer and several other factories in the garment industry continued operating without enforcing Covid safety protocols, moving sewing machines into a windowless basement to hide production from regulatory authorities. ............(more)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/aug/17/la-garment-workers-minimum-wage-factory

[North Shore Chicago]

1. Heartbreaking!

[Klaralven]

2. Parts of LA are in Mexico