US theaters exploit immigrant workforce

US biggest theater chains exploit immigrant workers in janitorial services, investigative report reveals.

According to a probe by media outlet Variety into age complaints from movie theater janitors in the US, such immigrant workers typically have no wage or job protection, working all night long.

Anel Flores, a legal director with US-based watchdog group Maintenance Cooperation Trust Fund, said the janitors "work six to seven days a week," adding immigrant workforce often hired through layers of subcontractors.

This situation makes it so hard for the janitors to survive in such job openings offered by US leading theatrical exhibition companies AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark USA Inc. and Regal Entertainment Group.

A 2016 email seen by Variety revealed AMC tells contractors what it will pay based on an internal formula.

Georgina Hernandez, who was a janitor working in terrible conditions at a US theater was quoted by the media as saying, “I don’t know what Hell is like, but I think it would be like that,” adding, “Sometimes I was crying because my feet couldn’t take it anymore. My back couldn’t take it anymore. I didn’t know how I could finish the work I had to do.”

AG/AG