Los Angeles, (KNX) - Sweatshops, as it turns out, aren't just in third-world nations. Several have turned up here in LA, San Bernardino, and Orange Counties. KNX New's Charles Felman spoke with Ruben Rosalez, regional administrator at the US Department of Labor.
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The US Department of Labor carried out an inspection that found several garment sweatshops operating in the three local Counties. 80% of the locations visited by labor inspectors, many of them making clothes for top fashion retailers, are found to practice in what they call 'wage theft.'
At one of these garment manufacturing plants, workers were paid the equivalent of $1.58 per hour. Ruben says this is nothing new, and over his 35 years with the agency, it seems to have gotten worse.
"We had minimum wage and overtime problems, but things were on the books. It was a little easier to find them," Ruben said. With many people now working off the books, "It's gotten deeper underground."
Ruben says it is predominantly an issue among women's and young teens' apparel.
Listen to the whole interview below
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