SUNSHINE TRAVEL DRIVERS RECEIVE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, NATIONAL SUPPORT

Former Sunshine Travel bus drivers spoke to Chinese community leaders from San Francisco, Oakland, New York, Los Angeles and Boston in Boston's Chinatown Sunday night.
 
Five organizations from around the country were in town for a national meeting of organizations working in Chinese communities. The organizations included the Chinese Progressive Associations from San Francisco and San Gabriel Valley (in the Los Angeles area), CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities from New York, Asian Pacific Environmental Network and Asian Immigrant Women Advocates from Oakland.
 
The bus drivers reported that they had just heard from their attorney that their unemployment insurance claims had been approved by the state Division of Unemployment Assistance.
 
The claims had been disputed by Sunshine Travel, which argued that the drivers had voluntarily left the job “because they are lazy” and didn’t want to accept a paycut. The drivers said that they had been forced off the job after opposing a paycut and went to the Chinese Progressive Association for advice over a number of alleged worker rights violations. They have been without income for two months.
 
After hearing the drivers’ account of workplace rights violations, the organization representatives pledged their support. Drivers described unpaid overtime while working from 12 to 18 hours per day, docking of pay for bus repairs or other company expenses, and paying a $2,000 deposit to go to work. They are seeking payment of unpaid or deducted wages as well as company compliance with safety regulations.
 
“This is the first time I've heard of workers paying to go to work,” said Li Shuang Li of the San Francisco Chinese Progressive Association . “Usually you go to work to get paid, not to pay your boss!”
 
"Whether in Oakland Chinatown or Boston Chinatown, we need to ensure that community business owners provide good jobs for workers," said Timmy Lu of the Asian Pacific Environmental Network.
 
"That means that our communities need to uphold some basic labor and safety standards."
Helena Wong of the New York-based CAAAV expressed support also for the efforts of the Chinese Progressive Association in Boston. "Although it is often intimidating for workers to assert themselves, it is critical that groups like the Chinese Progressive Association continue their work to educate and support workers' action for their rights."
 
"We congratulate the bus drivers on the approval of their unemployment insurance, and hope that this is a first step toward justice," said Melanie Tom of the Asian Immigrant Women Advocates from Oakland.
 
The national meeting had been convened through the API Movement Building Network and API Movement representatives attended the gathering. API Movement had previously endorsed the struggle of the Sunshine Travel workers.