Report: NYC Car Wash Workers Get Hosed

by Jake Neher | 03/05/2012 | 6:44pm

Report: NYC Car Wash Workers Get Hosed

Labor Coalition Demands Fairness.

Activists and labor groups are coming together to fight what they say are poor working conditions in New York City car washes. The new coalition will unveil a report Tuesday which shows alleged widespread employer abuse.


Car wash managers are paying less than minimum wage, refusing to pay overtime, and are even stealing tips from workers. Those are just some of the things the group WASH New York says it found in a recent investigation.

Activists say the city's 200 car washes are mostly unregulated, and owners mostly ignore the few rules that are in place.

Organizer Deborah Axt says the campaign will give workers the ability to speak up for themselves.

"The primary and first goal of our campaign is to make sure that the employees at these car washes, who are the only ones really in a position to blow the whistle on abuses and on unsafe conditions, feel that it is safe to come forward," Axt said.

Car wash owners told the New York Times they are fair to workers and won't support any unionizing efforts.

Weekdays at Noon

Ticket Giveaways from WFUV