Professional Documents
Culture Documents
06 Kingsbury 2015
06 Kingsbury 2015
06 Kingsbury 2015
B o s t o n
S u n d a y
G l o b e
Editorial
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OFF THE MENU
Founded 1872
T
T
customers,
heap meal.
or exploited
restaurant
workers, a
tual prison.
BRI
much
cheaper
then
other
buffets,
cus
the
Grand
For all
attention
given
undoc- to recognizecused
traffi
newspapers
forthe
coded
ads aimed at
un to spectors
kitchen
staff
was asked to pick
two ye
ing adversity become common fig
tomer Adam M. wrote on Yelp. And for
but also
has only about 1,0
documentedhousekeepers
workers. When he
found
out of China
the trash.
When workers
Buffet
umented
and
gardeners,
the
small
leaves for abuses.
better food on top!
hour investigators to moni
what he was looking for, Sanchez called a
complained, they were fired.
Sev
Andis
theamong
restaurants
that
engage in
But, for its workers, the
Grand China industry
was a virtual prison. The
labor
was
food-service
the
leading
10.5 million employees at
telephone number, was given an address
At the end of each shift, em
Sanch
such practices arent isolated momand
Buffet was a virtual prison. The labor was
restaurants nationwide
in Chinatown,
and on the
appointed of immigrant
ployees were
taken to a rooming
grueling, former employee
Felipe
employers
exploiters
sachus
pop
horror shows:
Many belong to net
grueling, former employee
Felipe Merino and
the millions of other workp
date, got into a van driven by a stranger.
house in neighboring Taunton
regula
that funnel
immigrant
labor, doc
Merino Sanchez said: six daysSanchez
a
said: six days a week,
more
thanthanworks
labor.
More
one-fifth
of all
food-service
by the Fair Labor Standard
They headed 200 miles north to the
where they were locked in for
slowly
umented or not, from major entry points
12 hours per day, doing food prep, clean
week, more than 12 the
hours
per
day, to Sanchez.
workers
are
foreign-born,
according toViolations
a
are more oft
Grand China
Buffet.
He had no clue
night,
according
cases s
like New York City to smaller cities and
ing the dining room, and fixing the HVAC
by state or local labor and
where he
was, Sanchez
recalled,
but it Institution.
Four tothe
five people
shared each
doing food prep, cleaning
dining
2012
the
Brookings
ago.
across the country.
system.
The kitchen lacked
safetyanalysis
equip bytowns
vestigators who arent nece
was a job with food and housing.
room. We couldnt leave as we
Mo
Sanchez,
for
one,
crossed
the
US
bor
ment,
the
floors
were
slippery
and
room, and fixing the wanted,
HVAC system.
And
cases,
the immigrantstowho
are
know
trafficking and
At in
themany
urging of
the Massachusetts
Sanchez, whom the
forcem
der from Mexico in 2003 and headed to
filled with holes, the oven leaked gas.
want to jeopardize their ow
Coalition for Occupational
Safety and
Globe located
through worker
The kitchen lacked safety
equipment,
mistreated
legal.
active
New York
City. Getting a job was his first
Cooking often meant
reheating are fully
bringing in criminal invest
Health, the state Attorney Generals Of
advocates and government cita
ment o
priority.
He
said he followed
his brothers
daysold food for the buffet,
in
the floors were slippery and filled with
But
there
are
scant
resources
devoted
to
cal evidence isnt properly
fice began investigating the Raynham
tions, said via a translator. The
few ag
footsteps and searched local Chinese
cluding, once, seafood that the
holes, the oven leaked
gas.
Cooking
exposing
these
crimes,
doesnt exist, and prosecut
eatery in August
2010,
along and
with amost
sis customers
door
was
alarmed. When the
specto
newspapers for coded ads aimed at un
kitchen staff was asked to pick
quently forced to rely on w
ter restaurant,
the Newespecially
York Chinesewhen the
police
knocked
on the
door one
often meant reheating
days-old
food
for
dont
think twice,
but als
documented workers.
Whenfood
he found
out
of the trash. When
workers
ny witnesses who are als
Buffet, located in Somerset.
day, though, he hid. I thought
hour i
what
he
was
looking
for,
Sanchez
called
a
complained,
they
were
fired.
the buffet, including,Id
once,
seafood
that
is cheap
and the
cuisine
ethnic:
of being deported, in debt
Investigators
found
the staffis
made
far Some
lose my
job or get
deported.
10.5 m
telephone number, was given an address
At the end of each shift, em
employer, or isolated or vu
below Massachusetts
minimum
of
Few casual
diners
would ex
the kitchen staff was asked
to pick
out
familiar
old tropes
that wage
the
restau
in Chinatown,
andill-treatment
on the appointed
ployees were taken
to a rooming
other reasons to make th
$8 with no overtime pay if they were
pect that a seemingly unre
the mi
date, gotis
into
a van driven
by a stranger.
house in neighboring
Taunton
of the trash. When workers
complained,
of
immigrant
workers
merely
adherence
to
challenge compounded by
paid at all. Sanchez claimed to be owed
markable eatery in Raynham
by the
They
headed
200
miles
north
to
the
where
they
were
locked
in
for
ICE
the
US Department of Hom
some $26,000
in unpaid
Another
could be a venue for what
they were fired.
cultural
norms,
thatwages.
making
it He
in had
America
Vio
Grand
China
Buffet.
no
clue
the
night,
according
to
Sanchez.
NCLUDED
ty, which oversees immigra
employee, Fidela Martinez, who was 16
amount to human rights viola
by stat
where headversity
was, Sanchez
but it
At the end of each
shift, employ-Four to five people
shared
each absorbing
involves
recalled,
become
vestigates trafficking crime
at the time, was not paid for more than
tions. But even at its highest lev
the latest installment
vestiga
a job with food and housing.
room. We couldnt leave as we
ees were taken to a rooming
house industry
common
figaswas
leaves
for thou
abuses. foreign national victims
obe editorial series
on
nine months,
even
she worked
els, the restaurant
is
to kno
At
the
urging
of
the
Massachusetts
wanted,
Sanchez,
whom
the
kers in the food
level.)
Agencies
dont
comm
sands
of
hours.
run
on
a
more
informal
basis
in neighboring Taunton where they Globe located through worker
And the
restaurants
that engage
want t
Coalition
for Occupational
Safety and
e industry. Previous
enough among themselves
The owners and managers Xue
than most. Servers are paid
bringi
Health,
the
state
Attorney
Generals
Of
advocates
and
government
cita
s, available at were locked in for the night, accordin such
practices
arent
momquestionable
businesses.
Ying You,
Zhi Hao
Zhang, Casidy
Lu,isolated
Ai
mainly in tips; the back of the
cal evi
fice began investigating the Raynham
tions, said via a translator. The
globe.com/opinion,
In Massachusetts, an in
Yi Lu, and Ming Kuaihorror
Lu were
eventuMany belong
often
abounds with unoffi
ing to Sanchez. Fourhouse
to five
people
shows:
e ignored rights,
doesn
eatery in August
2010, along with a sis
door was alarmed. Whenand-pop
the
force headed by Attorney G
ally charged with failure to pay employ
cial employees. These practices
g, fast food wages,
quentl
ter
restaurant,
the
Newfunnel
York Chinese
police knocked on the door one
shared each room. We
to
networks
that
Coakley in 2013 recommen
ees minimum wage and failure to pay
are problematic on their own
ions.
ny w
Buffet, located in Somerset.
day, though, he hid. I thought
couldnt leave as weterms, but they also create a fer
immigrant
docufunded,
workerled progra
them in a timely manner, among
other labor,
of bein
Investigators found the staff made far
Id lose my job or get deported.
p: Preventing wage
at labor trafficking
charges. The Grand China Buffet
was al or cifically
tile environment for conduct
wanted,
Sanmented
not,
from
below
Massachusetts
minimum
wage
of
Few
casual
diners
would
ex
nd what customers
SERVICElegal andemplo
prehensive
socia
so cited for breaking child labor laws.
equivalent to human trafficking.
other r
$8
with
no
overtime
pay
ifpoints
they were
pect
that
a
seemingly
unre
.
chez, whom the
major
NOT
INCLUDED
proposal
should be taken u
They were ordered to pay $181,000
in entry
challen
paid at all. Sanchez claimed to be owed
markable eatery in Raynham
coordinated
coll
fines, at least some still unpaid. Both
res
For all the attention given to un
This
is
the latestdata
installme
Globe
located
New tent,
York
City
SERVICE
the US
some $26,000like
in unpaid
wages.
Another
could be a venue for what
of
a
Globe
editorial
series
better
understand
how
pre
taurants
were
shuttered.
documented
housekeepers
and
NOT INCLUDED
ty, whi
employee, Fidela
Martinez,cities
who was 16
amount to human rights viola
through
workto smaller
on workers
the food
problem
is in
would
help.
No criminal or trafficking charges
gardeners, the foodservice in
vestiga
at the time, was not paid forservice
more than
tions. But even at its highest lev
This is the latest installment
Previous
A goodindustry.
start would
be f
were filed, however. Massachusetts
did
dustry is among the leading
er
and
across
of aadvocates
Globe editorial series
foreign
nine months,
eventowns
as she worked
thou
els, the restaurant industry is
articles, available
at
monwealth
to follow
the le
not pass its antitrafficking law until
employers and exploit
on
workers
in
the
food
level.)
sands of hours.
and government
run on a more informal basis
the country. bostonglobe.com/opinion
nia,
whichignored
in Aprilrights,
enacted
2011. And Ai Hui Lu whom Sanchez
ers of immigrant la
service industry. Previous
explore
enoug
The owners and managers
Xue
than most. Servers are paid
citations,
saidatvia a
for
ingone,
restaurants
that serve
and advocates believe is relatedSanchez,
to the
bor. More than one
articles, available
tipping,
fast
questi
Ying You, Zhi Hao Zhang, Casidy
Lu,
Aifood wages,
mainly in tips; the back of the
bostonglobe.com/opinion,
notices in their kitc
previous
management
was
granted a USpublic
of all foodservice
and
unions.
sandri
the
boston
GlobeYi Lu,
translator.
The door was fifthpatrick
crossed
border
In M
and Mingthe
Kuai Lu
were
eventu
house
often for
abounds
with
unoffi
explore ignored rights,
ing slavery and human tra
liquor license from Raynham selectmen
workers are foreign
force
h
ally
charged
with
failure
to
pay
employ
cial
employees.
These
practices
tipping, fast food wages,
Next
up: Preventing wage
stiff
penalties.
in 2011 for a new restaurant, the Hiba
born, according to a
Coakle
ees minimum wage and failure
to
pay
are problematic on their own
and unions.
theft and what customers
chi Sushi Buffet, in the space Grand Chi
2012 analysis by the
funded
them in a timely manner, among
other
terms, but they also create a fer
can do.
Theres
a role here for cus
na
once
occupied.
Sanchez
moved
on
to
Brookings Institution.
Next up: Preventing wage
cificall
charges. The Grand China Buffet was al
tile environment for conduct
long as Americans believe
work at another Chinese buffet. (Repeat
And in many cases, the
Editorial
For customers,
a cheap meal.
For exploited
restaurant
workers, a
virtual prison.
For customer
a cheap mea
For exploite
restauran
workers,
virtual prison
BRI
For customer
a cheap mea
For exploite
restauran
workers,
virtual prison
In Massachusetts, an interagencyoftask
a Globe editorial series
on workers in the food
force headed by Attorney General Martha
service industry. Previous
Coakley in 2013 recommended a well-fundarticles, available at
bostonglobe.com/opinion
ed, worker-led program aimed specifically
at
explore ignored rights,
tipping,
fast food wages,
labor trafficking to offer comprehensive
legal
and unions.
BRI
For customer
a cheap mea
For exploite
restauran
workers,
virtual prison
SERVICE
NOT INCLUDED