Corporate Profiles: 2004

Fact Sheet on at Least Three San Francisco Based Corporations that Owe Workers over $2 Million in Unpaid Wages

by Chinese Progressive Association San Francisco
Posted 12/18/04

This is from a 2004 CPA Fact Sheet

Over the past few years, three San Francisco based corporations have cheated hundreds of immigrant Chinese workers out of over $2 million in unpaid wages. Additionally, each of these corporations filed for bankruptcy to avoid liability for workers’ wages. We believe these cases are clear examples of criminal labor abuse and bankruptcy fraud. Low-wage workers and their supporters demand that government agencies aggressively enforce the wage laws and stop bankruptcy fraud that leave workers shafted.

King Tin Restaurant
In July 2004, King Tin Restaurant, known as one of the oldest and most popular restaurants in San Francisco Chinatown, abruptly closed after workers organized and contacted State labor officials about months of unpaid wages. Under immense community pressure, the company paid a partial amount of back wages, although King Tin workers are stilled owed over $450,000, which includes local and State minimum wage violations, unpaid overtime, meals, breaks and penalties. Some King Tin workers labored for 95 hours per week for less than $4 per hour.

Wins Garment Corporation
In the Summer of 2001, in one of California’s largest cases of labor abuse, the Wins Corporation shut down three garment factories leaving 240 immigrant workers owed over $1.4 million in back wages. Over the past three years, Wins workers and their supporters have pushed State and federal agencies to collect the workers’ “sweat and blood” wages and to hold their former sweatshop exploiters accountable. In October 2004, the Wins owners were finally indicted by the Federal government for a $6.7 million bankruptcy fraud scheme where they illegally diverted corporate assets to family members. In addition, there is a civil trial in San Francisco Superior Court to recover over $3 million in unpaid wages, penalties and damages from the Wins owners.

New On Sang Corporation
New On Sang is a poultry market that has been open for over 20 years in Chinatown. In 2003, after 6 New On Sang workers filed over $200,000 in back wage claims with State labor officials, the corporation’s owner, Suzanne Hoo, filed for bankruptcy. Her bankruptcy petition was recently granted, discharging over $180,000 of debts for unpaid wages. Yet, the newly organized corporation continues to operate the same business from the same location with some of the same workers generating profits that will never go to pay the former workers for their labor.

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