[act-ma] 4/8 Support Sunshine Travel Workers!

[Huibin Amelia Chew]

Please take a moment to make a phone call or send a fax.  Spread the
word and thanks!

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SUNSHINE TRAVEL Steals Workers’ Pay!
** Justice Now for Immigrant Workers! **

Sunshine Travel Services (www.sunshineboston.com) is a travel and bus
transportation company with offices in Boston Chinatown, at 12A Tyler
St., and Quincy, at 219 Quincy Ave.  The company makes revenues of at
least $1.5 million per year ($4 million according to the workers),
providing busing to Mohegan Sun Casino as well as East Coast cities,
and is owned by Lorraine Tse.

-     Sunshine Travel cheats workers out of their overtime pay, by
issuing checks using three different business names.  Pay-stubs
contain irregularities, including improper pay periods and misreported
hours.

-     Sunshine Travel steals workers’ tips, and unfairly deducts a
“processing fee” from each worker’s paycheck that is used as the
cleaning staff’s wage!

-     Bus drivers typically worked 12-18 hour days, without a shift
change – but were only paid $100 per day, in violation of minimum wage
law.  Afterwards, their pay was cut to $95.

-    Drivers often drove over 10 hours a day, in violation of health
and safety standards.  Buses were not inspected regularly, and when
parts of buses needed repairs they were left unfixed.

-    Drivers received no benefits and no vacation days, despite
working through holidays.  They were forced to pay for damages to
buses.  And workers were forced to keep fake log books that
misreported their hours.

Sunshine Travel Services owes over $100,000 in unpaid wages.  After
their pay was cut, the drivers sent a letter to Ms. Tse demanding
their wages, and changes such as fair schedules, accurate records, and
an end to unfair labor practices.  Ms. Tse has refused to meet with
them.

In these tough economic times, the workers ask for your support.

*** Support Immigrant Workers Rights! ***

Call Lorraine to support the workers’ demands – tell her to PAY
WORKERS NOW according to the law!

Lorraine Tse: 617-695-1989, 617-293-3882
Sunshine Travel: 617-695-1820, 617-328-0862; fax: 617-695-3211, 617-328-1819

Sample Script: "I am outraged to hear about Sunshine Travel's business
practices, and support the workers' just and modest demands, for the
wages they are owed under the law, and an end to unfair labor
practices including fake time records, unsafe hours, being forced to
pay for accidents, and retaliation.  Please resolve this matter as
soon as possible.  I eagerly await your reply to inform my friends,
families, colleagues, and community."

Chinese Progressive Association Workers Center, 28 Ash Street, Boston,
MA 02111 * justice at cpaboston.org

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Chinese Progressive Association
28 Ash Street
Boston, MA 02111
phone: (617)357-4499
fax: (617)357-9611
www.cpaboston.org