State Deparment To Mayor McCheese: Clean Up Your Town!
	found on Straits Times written by chlim01, edited by Humberto (Plastic) [ read unedited ] posted Thu 29 Aug 11:46am
		"A State Department investigation has tentatively concluded that the McDonald's chain in Maryland had grossly exploited hapless Polish and Slovak students who had been brought in on a summer work and travel programme," writes chlim01. "For these unfortunate students, life was not a Happy Meal: their bosses had forced them to rent an expensive apartment, and their pay was subject to so many unnecessary deductions that in the end their net pay was ... zero bucks. Ronald McDonald would blush at this outrage! The students apparently managed to make their plight known to the Baltimore Sun, and soon after McDonald's made some refunds to the students, and the State Department investigation was launched."

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1.  Full version of the story.   by grantham       at Thu 29 Aug 12:13pm score of 2 informative     This appears to be a shortened version of a story that appeared in Tuesday's Baltimore Sun. You may or may not have to register to read that story (I was asked to do so when I searched on the Sun's site, but not when I got there via Google News), so to summarize the extra information: Several of the students recruited by McDonald's have since abandoned their jobs and living arrangements, and found other jobs and apartments with the help of the local chapter of the Polish American Congress. I live at pseudoprime.com   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

10.  Re: Full version of the story.   by chawbacon       at Fri 30 Aug 12:39pm score of 1   in reply to comment 1     Wow, instead of heading back home, they decided to stay and find other jobs...sounds like an end-run around normal Visa practices... That's the problem with being middle class; anyone who really cares will abandon you for someone who needs them more...   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

2.  I'm not surprised...   by JET24       at Thu 29 Aug 12:50pm score of 1     but then again, I'm in the middle of reading Fast Food Nation and it's opening my eyes wide to the nefarious practices of the fast food industry... Religion don't mean a thing; it's just another way to be right. - Spoon   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

3.  $2,000 a month for a two bedroom apartment?   by MAYORBOB       at Thu 29 Aug 12:55pm score of 1     Think there's any possibility that the McDonalds franchise operator also owned the apartment? Tending to final details.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

6.  Re: $2,000 a month for a two bedroom apartment?   by aboutblank       at Fri 30 Aug 10:32am score of 1   in reply to comment 3     $2,000 a month for a 2-bedroom. Sounds like a good deal in Manhattan... :) octopus (11), squid (50), marsupial (23), monsters (81)   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   8.  Re: $2,000 a month for a two bedroom apartment?   by waldeaux       at Fri 30 Aug 10:44am score of 1   in reply to comment 6     ... or a STEAL in Boston. Life is a peanut butter and liverwurst sandwich --- Me, 1977   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

4.  I Grimace In Horror   by petiex       at Thu 29 Aug 1:07pm score of 3.5 funny     This out-hamburgles the Hamburglar. Ain't nothing but a Shake-down. I hope the guy responsible for this outrage Fries. "Astute and Helpful Bear." - Owl   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

7.  Not just McDonald's   by aboutblank       at Fri 30 Aug 10:36am score of 1.5 informative     There's this thing called "minimum wage" in the U.S., no? I have many friends in Poland who were lured into the U.S. on some sort of a program where they'd "help out" at a camp for little kids. They get free housing and free food, however, they usually work from 6am until dusk for little or no pay. I don't know how the camps get around that legally speaking (do they consider these positions "volunteer opportunities" or what?), but it doesn't sound like such a good deal to me. octopus (11), squid (50), marsupial (23), monsters (81)   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

9.  Shucks.   by Rubberstamp       at Fri 30 Aug 11:56am score of 1     So I won't be seeing the McPolish dog at my local franchise? Those damn kids. "Why don't you come down here and chum some of this shit." -- M. Brody   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

11.  Hmmmm....   by Kilroy77       at Fri 30 Aug 12:48pm score of 1     How many polish exchange students would it take to screw-up my order and need to go get the manager? Props to Rubberstamp - probably no McPeirogies either. Dammit... WHO ATE MY BREAKFAST PANTS?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

12.  Obligatory Simpsons quote   by gonzocanuck       at Fri 30 Aug 3:12pm score of 1     "Good, Zutroy, keep working, and everyday you'll get a shiny penny." You've got to coax him slow, that's the only way that he'll confess.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]