Worcester Workers Demand Back Wages and End to Labor Abuse

On December 20, 40 workers, union leaders, elected officials and community organizers sang, chanted and raised signs outside Discover Marble and Granite in Millbury to shine a spotlight on the company its refusal to pay workers overtime.

Father Kevin Bean, from All Saints Church in Worcester opened the rally with the prayer that this public demonstration would lead to "fair payment of wages" for former workers denied overtime compensation and also raise the "strength and solidarity" among manual laborers who have been duped by agencies across Massachusetts.

In the case of Discover Marble, the company used an outside company, Operations Management Group (OMG), which denied workers' overtime payment through a legal loophole and then disappeared when the shortage became evident.

With a Grinch hovering in the background holding a gift box labeled “stolen worker wages”, Marcy Goldstein-Gelb, MassCOSH Executive Director, warned, “Just as the Grinch learned from the error of his ways, we hope Discover and other employers will learn from this demonstration today: If you abuse your workers and flout labor laws, don’t be surprised to find workers and the REAL (Reform Employment Agency Law) Coalition at your company door insisting that you change your ways.”

Brave workers, including Marlene, who worked for the Naked Fish restaurant which contracted with OMG, spoke to the gathering about their struggles to get paid vital overtime income. Other workers present reported similar mistreatment through temporary agencies employed by Metrowest restaurants and a food processing factory. This year, the Department of Justice brought a successful related action against OMG, which was fined over $200,000.

"Here in the state of Massachusetts today, I'm disgusted that we have companies that don't pay their workers," said State Representative James O'Day to rousing applause. "We're here to tell the folks at Discover that we have an expectation that they're going to treat their workers fairly!"

Workers then marched with spirited chants up to the door of the company, and a delegation entered the building to hand management a letter demanding redress of grievances that stretch back to 2007. When they returned they were greeted with cheers, and the loud chant, "We'll be back!"

Discovery claims to always pay wages owed to their workers in full; however a class action lawsuit brought on by its former workers claim otherwise.

MassCOSH encourages its members and supporters to let their voices be heard by contacting Discover Marble though their web, facebook and Yelp pages to let them know wage theft will not be tolerated in Massachusetts.

Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Discover-Marble-Granite/133522256681472

Discover Marble Website
http://discovermarble.com/contact.html

Yelp
http://www.yelp.com/biz/discover-marble-and-granite-millbury-2