I'll Just Wash My Own Car

I've driven past the Vermont Car Wash in Los Feliz a few times when the entrance was blocked by union pickets, and I didn't know what was going on. Now, I do: The owners have pleaded no contest to labor violations, including making employees show up early and work late without pay. Oh, and they paid the workers a flat rate of $35 to $40 a day, which, I suppose left most of the compensation to tips, but, you know, that's illegal. So is denying workers any breaks. And making some workers work for tips alone. Sure, when you take a job at a car wash, you don't expect big money, but you DO expect to be treated humanely. (Yes, there's also the question of how many employees were illegal immigrants; if that's the case, the employers were exploiting the cheap labor and the workers were allowing the owners to get away with paying below-living wages) (Los Angeles Times)

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