The High Price of Cheap Labor to the Local Community

Most national and global corporations that have retail franchises in Springfield make their corporate decisions in far away offices, for the benefit of unseen investors who only see numbers. As a result, the employees at the franchises suffer. Managers and supervisors abuse their employees and then say "It was a corporate decision, my hands are tied."

• Employees intimidated or threatened for complaining about working conditions.
• Employees intimidated by having their families and homes videotaped by hired thugs who slowly drive by.
• Discrimination against Female employees in wages and promotions.
• Discrimination against employees based on Race, Gender, Disability, etc.
• Employees forced to work Off-The-Clock.
• Minors working too late on school nights or for too many hours in the day.
• Employees forced to work through their breaks and meal times.
• Employees time sheet "Skimming" by supervisors. Time is shaved off to maintain lower pay.
• Employees not getting paid any overtime.
• Night Shift Employees getting locked in the store overnight.
• Employees getting systematically laid off after their pay raise reaches $9.00 per hour, and immediately replaced by other, cheaper Employees.
• Employees being deceived about their vacation pay, led to believe that they had more than they actually did when it came time for them to apply for time off.
• Employees forced to wait up to three years for partial insurance coverage.
• Managers and supervisors hired from outside the store instead of promoted from within.
• Local government officials and the Chamber of Commerce are usually bought off or have interests in the business.
• Other costs cannot be adjusted and the company forces low wage Employees to burden the community through Section 8 housing, Food stamp programs, Utility assistance, and rent assistance programs.

Employees paid less than $10 an hour who work at National and Global Franchises have been estimated to cost federal taxpayers $2,103 per employee per year. Other costs have been estimated, but no real effort is underway to research other costs to local organizations such as Food Banks, The Salvation Army, churches, etc.

Employees are forced to take on two or more jobs just to get by, leaving themselves less time in their lives to simply live and rest.