From the Times Ledger:An alliance of workers banded together last week in Flushing to protest what they contended were unfair and illegal working practices at some city businesses.
Gathering in front of Gwang Zhou restaurant at 136-59 37th Ave., where employees last week lodged a class-action lawsuit against the owners, dozens of Asian-American workers from across the city and Long Island held up signs blasting companies they said slighted them and chanted slogans including, “What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!”
The protest marked the expansion of a campaign begun in earnest last month with a rally solely against Gwang Zhou.
That event garnered enough attention to increase energy and draw a larger crowd April 14, according to attendees like Song Deping, who said through a translator that he was underpaid and forced to work long hours at a nail salon in Carle Place, L.I.
A man who answered the phone at Gwang Zhou said its owners declined to comment on the suit or the protest.
18 comments:
Is this in America? Can't tell by the signs.....
Wow are these people illegal and complaining? Investigate the owners for hiring them, not paying taxes and harboring criminals, then deport the workers. America needs businesses that compete fairly - by the law.
they could be here on work visas or student visas even whatever - they are not necessarily illegal because they are taking these low paying labor intensive jobs.
Good for them for protesting! They are helping to keep America democratic!
Whom are they protesting to? If it weren't for the police line signs, this photo may have well been taken in Shanghai.
Most Chinese are not illegal and have residency. They are willing to take less to guarantee employment.
The government and politicians do nothing about the owners illegally hiring them, their illegally being here, and then the owners then breaking other labor laws for working conditions.
I am happy to see them standing up for themselves. A decline in working conditions and a passive attitude just lowers the bar and encourages even more desire by employers for illegal immigration.
As far as their signs being in Chinese - why should their signs be any different than any other sign in Flushing nowadays? I walked into a Flushing bar a few months ago and they refused to serve me even one drink because I was white. I refused to leave and they said they'd call the police. I told them to call the police if they wanted to. Finally they gave me a bottle of beer, I drank it and left. Maybe it was a front for a brothel or something, maybe not, who knows, "It's Chinatown, Jake".
Is this in America? Can't tell by the signs.....
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They sure as hell know its america. If they did this "back home" they would be shot.
"they could be here on work visas or student visas even whatever - they are not necessarily illegal because they are taking these low paying labor intensive jobs."
Highly unlikely Babs. Foreign students don't work because they don't have to, they've been sent here by rich parents just like rich American kids go abroad to "study" (party). And to get a work visa you must demonstrate a skill or talent that's not available in the US already, I think we have our fair share of people who can wait tables. Nope - they're illegals.
Can you imagine what would happen if these illegals tried protesting in their mother countries? It just shows you that they are not afraid of letting people know that they are here illegally. They know nothing will happen to them. They actually flaunt it. They are criminals but get pissed off when their employer uses the same criminal tactic. This is an opportunity to round them up and deport them.
Shut down the restaurants!
@ Octopus:
Do they have a leg to stand on?
Why is everone running on the bullshit notion they are illegal?
Most Chinese get a legal residency in America with no problem.
Do many on this site ignore facts to show their hate for foreigners?
Bring back America - want to see some diversity - not just Asians - they own Main Street - we are nothing but minorities - and to top it off - they snub their noses at us. GO BACK HOME
Most Asian restaurant workers ARE illegal. That's why the INS used to run into restaurants and yell IMMIGRATION! 1970's movies anyone?
So if they ARE here illegally then why SHOULD they be protected by our laws? Anonymous 2 is correct!
"{Why is everone running on the bullshit notion they are illegal?"
See Mayor Bloomberg's comments in other post. According to him, we'll lose the Nobel Prize to China because we aren't allowing the Chinese in.
Do many on this site ignore facts to show their hate for foreigners?
No. It is our love of octopussy!
For people who are saying that asians are snubbing whites, you are simply don't understand the asian culture. This is just how they are even with each other. Watch and see if they are ever polite to other asian strangers. Asians keep to themselves, even amoung like people. This stems from years of communism. They don't trust anyone.
They don't trust anyone.
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But we should trust them? It's a 2 way street.
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