BOSTON, Nov. 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Last week members of the Workers Freedom Coalition-MPS, along with several community leaders, rallied in support of workers from MPS Products Corp, a structural ironwork subcontractor. MPS works throughout New England on multiple projects and has completed work at several locations including the Norfolk Police Department, the Rowley Police and Fire Station, and the Rising Tide Charter School in Plymouth.
Workers from multiple jobsites went on strike to address unsafe working conditions and wage theft at the company. MPS has repeatedly paid the lower apprentice wage rate on publicly-funded projects without having a certified apprenticeship program, an illegal practice. On other projects, employees were misclassified as workers from lower paid trades. These actions resulted in thousands of dollars in missing wages and some workers are considering a wage theft lawsuit.
Keith Eddows, who went out on strike, said that MPS owner Mike Pimintel did not pay for all the hours he worked and is owed thousands of dollars as well. Eddows noted that upon hearing that workers were standing up for their rights, MPS began drug testing for the first time in several months, as well as other attempts to discipline and intimidate workers. Eddows also stated "you are constantly being talked down to and threatened" as verbal abuse and mistreatment happens frequently at the company.
MPS fired Leiken Bodaro after he complained about a lack of drinking water on the jobsite and for simply talking about ways employees could work together to address their issues on the job. Other workers mentioned extremely hazardous jobsite conditions that have resulted in injuries including a ruptured spleen and two broken legs.
By drawing attention to the company's abuse and mistreatment, these workers and their supporters hope to put pressure on MPS Products Corp to address workers' concerns as well as provide a safe and dignified workplace for employees in the future.
For more information, please contact: Natalicia Tracy at [email protected].
SOURCE Workers Freedom Coalition
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