WorriedFiancee
New Member
My Fiancee and roommate work for the same tow truck company in Michigan. The work environment there is a nightmare from what they tell me. The owner and his wife come and go as they please (which its there business so whatever) but when they are there, they talk about the employees when they walk out of the room, they make them run personal errands for them such as getting them lottery tickets, getting lunch, going to there house or another family members house to do labor work (i.e. tearing off a roof, digging holes, putting up a fence etc.), but thats a different post. I just wanted to let u know how the environment there is. Now here are my questions. They were hired in as 'tow truck drivers'. They understand that they are responsible for 'shop upkeep' such as taking out the garbage and sweeping etc., but they have a mechanic there who comes and goes as he pleases, never cleans up after himself, and drops oil and grease everywhere. Once a week the tow truck drivers are told to scrub the floors to get the grease/oil up. They also have to maintane there trucks, but must do it outside. If something is lost or stolen off there trucks, they must pay for it. *there was never any piece of paper, contract, promissary note etc. that said they must pay for it*. They work in and outside all day long, night and day, no set temprature to keep there bodies constant, and they are not even offered insurance of any sort. So when they get sick, they either take some UNPAID time off, and get back on bills (b/c they are not paid alot believe me) or go to work sick and get even sicker. My fiancee is on the verge of pneumonia b/c of this situation, we can afford for him to go to the doctors unfortunately. They do not even have a furnace in this building, it is strickly a wood burning stove. They guys are also required to split and chop wood and carry it to the shop in order to stay warm. I thought having an open flame around a mechanic who works on cars w/chemical, gas, oil, etc is kinda dangerous.
My questions are:
1.) Is it illegal to have an open flame in a place of this type of business?
2.) Is it "unfair employment acts" or something to exclude certain people from participating in clean-up activities around the workplace?
3.) Is it illegal to make someone pay for the upkeep/replacement on a work vehicle?
4.) Is it wrong to have people work in these conditions w/o offering health insurance?
And question 4 brings me to a point that the shop manager gets health insurance... and he is also the owners son in law... this seems fishy to me...
Any suggestions / tips on what I can do to help my fiancee and our roommate to better there work environment?
My questions are:
1.) Is it illegal to have an open flame in a place of this type of business?
2.) Is it "unfair employment acts" or something to exclude certain people from participating in clean-up activities around the workplace?
3.) Is it illegal to make someone pay for the upkeep/replacement on a work vehicle?
4.) Is it wrong to have people work in these conditions w/o offering health insurance?
And question 4 brings me to a point that the shop manager gets health insurance... and he is also the owners son in law... this seems fishy to me...
Any suggestions / tips on what I can do to help my fiancee and our roommate to better there work environment?
