Judicial
Latina Workers Sue NYC Travel Agencies for Exploitation
By Orion Baxter Holly

Oct 9, 2007

A chain of New York based travel agencies is being accused of forcing immigrant employees to work in sweatshop environments. Three Latina women have filed a federal lawsuit in the Eastern District of New York claiming that their former employer, a New York chain of travel agencies, has repeatedly and illegally exploited them in their workplace.  

The lawsuit is a collective action filed on behalf of the named plaintiffs as well as all other employees of Aldaz's stores commonly known by the names of Atlantic Travel, Atlantic Courier and Travel Multiservice.  

According to the complaint, plaintiffs were forced to work up to 68 hours each week and were subject to lengthy unpaid "training" periods. Also according to the complaint, plaintiffs were routinely denied minimum wage, overtime pay, and state law wage supplements. Indeed, one worker is said to have received a total of $200 in compensation for working 63 hours/week for six weeks -- about $.53 cents for each hour worked.  

Represented by the Justice at Work Project of the New York Legal Assistance Group, the low-income plaintiffs cite numerous violations of the New York State Labor Law and the Fair Labor Standards Act, including denial of minimum wage and overtime benefits.  

Elena Goldstein, the attorney for the plaintiffs, charged that Jorge Aldaz, chief officer of Atlantic Travel and its city-wide chain of travel agencies and courier stores, has illegally exploited these women and other employees on a regular basis.  

"These stores operate as retail sweatshops for educated immigrant women. Through this lawsuit, we hope to obtain the money owed to the plaintiffs as well as send a strong message to other employers who exploit immigrant workers that all workers are protected by the law,” said Goldstein in a press release.  

The lawsuit also cites Defendant Aldaz for retaliating against one of the plaintiffs for demanding her rights under federal and state law. Aldaz allegedly responded by promptly cutting the employee’s schedule -- and her earnings -- dramatically.