Restitution, fair play, mediation, and equity are always the endgame goals for any management/labor conflict. In the case of several C-Mart supermarkets in Quincy and Boston’s South End and Chinatown neighborhoods, a settlement of $800,000 in restitution and penalties has been reached for employees of these supermarkets as a result of 15 citations and an investigation in 2021 started by Attorney General Andrea Campbell. In a press release, Campbell noted:
“My office, and particularly our Fair Labor Division, will continue to hold employers accountable for wage theft and violation of our wage and hour laws.”
Reaction to this settlement, the end result of an appeal from C-Mart’s corporate presidents, has been positive. Fiona Yu, Chinese Progressive Association Worker Center Coordinator, issued this response:
“The Chinese Progressive Association applauds Attorney General Campbell and her team for winning this significant settlement and her commitment to end wage theft. We are committed to work with the Office of Attorney General to ensure every worker entitled to back wages will be compensated. We encourage workers to contact the Chinese Progressive Association for help with this claim and any other workplace issues. We also hope to use this opportunity to help more workers learn about their rights and stand up for their rights.”
The AG’s Fair Labor Division findings paint a dark picture of routine practice and procedure in these C-Mart stores. Among the findings:
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