Bank of America workers across US sue for overtime

[OhioChick]

Source: Reuters

6 Jun 2010, 0022 hrs IST,REUTERS

NEW YORK: Workers for Bank of America Corp, one of the nation's largest employers, have sued the company for allegedly failing to pay overtime and other wages.

The lawsuit filed Friday in federal court in Kansas City, Kansas, consolidates 12 lawsuits filed on behalf of employees in California, Florida, Kansas, Texas and Washington.

It seeks nationwide class-action status on behalf of employees at retail branches and call centers over the last three years. The federal Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation in April directed that the cases be combined.

According to the 44-page complaint, the largest U.S. bank by assets requires employees to work in excess of eight hours per day or 40 hours per week, yet fails to pay them both for overtime and for all straight time worked.

The complaint also accuses the bank of requiring employees to work during unpaid breaks, failing to provide meal and rest breaks, and failing to timely pay terminated employees for earned wages and accrued vacation time.

"Bank of America enjoys millions of dollars in ill-gained profits at the expense of its hourly employees," violating either the federal Fair Labor Standards Act or various state labor laws, the complaint said.



Read more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international-business/Bank-of-America-workers-across-US-sue-for-overtime/articleshow/6016062.cms

[Duer 157099]

1. But the shareholders! The pensions! The 401(k)s! Who will think of them!

Fuck the workers, if they need extra money, let them invest in the stock market like everyone else!

[Barack_America]

2. Will somebody please think of the wealthy!!

[Duer 157099]

3. Except it's not just the wealthy

More and more people depend upon the stock market (either via stock options or 401k) because salaries have not kept up with the cost of living.

That's how insideous it is and why solutions are so hard to come by.

[canetoad]

4. Two things about this article stand out

1. While I'm glad the workers are taking action against BOM, a strong union would have prevented it getting to this stage. It's preferable to collect your entitlements upfront rather than need to fight through the courts.

2. This was reported by the Times of India.

[SocialistLez]

6. ::sigh:: Employee Free Choice Act....

I think with all this negative publicity Bank of America has been receiving lately, the workers should try to unionize. I think the Labor Board would look favorably upon them.

[Selatius]

8. From what I've heard, EFCA has essentially been gutted.

The prime provision that employers objected the most to in the draft of the bill has, last I recalled, been stripped out. Money talks.

[SocialistLez]

9. ::sigh::

[No Elephants]

12. Seems as though that is the fate of all bills these days. At least all important ones.

[melm00se]

10. are unions

"legal" in banks? when i worked for banks, the word amongst the rank and file was that some law prevented union formation.

[canetoad]

11. They certainly are here in Australia

The current entity is the Finance Sector Union http://www.fsunion.org.au/ which grew out of Bank Employees Unions in the past.

[Joanne98]

5. Assholes!

[proudohioan]

7. K&R!!!

And fuck BOA!