Workers Defense Project Protests Cobra Studios/Cobalt Co. Remix
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Workers Defense Project and community supporters gathered outside Cobra Studios in Austin to protest COBALT COMPANIES for the $20,000.00 in unpaid wages owed to eleven workers who worked on their work site at Cobra Studios Apartments.
In the context of economic downturn, where low-wage workers bear the burden of hard times, Workers Defense Project is calling upon Cobalt Companies to take responsibility for the labor abuses on their work site.
In October and November of 2008, Antonio Melo, Antonio Olvera, Fausto Elias, and 8 other workers worked for a subcontractor of Cobalt Companies to perform masonry work on Cobra Studios Apartments in East Austin. The subcontractor never paid the eleven workers for their work and they are still owed nearly $20,000 in back wages.
The Workers Defense Project has tried to resolve the issue directly with Cobalt Companies and their subcontractors. Cobalt Companies negotiated with PDL and agreed to a payment plan where they would pay $15,000 of wages owed now and $5,000 later. The agreement was drafted, the terms were all agreed upon, and then Cobalt Companies backed out.
Workers, advocates and community supporters urged Cobalt Companies to ensure that Austin development occurs in a way that benefits everyone in the community, including the workers who are building our city.
Cobalt Companies is a local residential and commercial building company that has 30 years of experience working on construction projects in Austin. They specialize in high-end homes, town-homes, and commercial properties that range from half-million to multi-million dollar projects, such as the Cobra Studios.
After much effort and long hours on the part of the Workers Defense Project, ultimately Cobalt Co. lived up to their legal responsibility and made sure the workers were paid their due in a check for $18,000!
This is a Z Graphix Production, Directed by Jason Cato and
Produced by Jeffry Zavala.
http://zgraphix.org
Photography by Jason Cato
Cinematography by Keegan Godsey and Jeffry Zavala
To learn more go to:
http://workersdefense.org
http://buildaustin.org
In the context of economic downturn, where low-wage workers bear the burden of hard times, Workers Defense Project is calling upon Cobalt Companies to take responsibility for the labor abuses on their work site.
In October and November of 2008, Antonio Melo, Antonio Olvera, Fausto Elias, and 8 other workers worked for a subcontractor of Cobalt Companies to perform masonry work on Cobra Studios Apartments in East Austin. The subcontractor never paid the eleven workers for their work and they are still owed nearly $20,000 in back wages.
The Workers Defense Project has tried to resolve the issue directly with Cobalt Companies and their subcontractors. Cobalt Companies negotiated with PDL and agreed to a payment plan where they would pay $15,000 of wages owed now and $5,000 later. The agreement was drafted, the terms were all agreed upon, and then Cobalt Companies backed out.
Workers, advocates and community supporters urged Cobalt Companies to ensure that Austin development occurs in a way that benefits everyone in the community, including the workers who are building our city.
Cobalt Companies is a local residential and commercial building company that has 30 years of experience working on construction projects in Austin. They specialize in high-end homes, town-homes, and commercial properties that range from half-million to multi-million dollar projects, such as the Cobra Studios.
After much effort and long hours on the part of the Workers Defense Project, ultimately Cobalt Co. lived up to their legal responsibility and made sure the workers were paid their due in a check for $18,000!
This is a Z Graphix Production, Directed by Jason Cato and
Produced by Jeffry Zavala.
http://zgraphix.org
Photography by Jason Cato
Cinematography by Keegan Godsey and Jeffry Zavala
To learn more go to:
http://workersdefense.org
http://buildaustin.org
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- groups:
- Workers Defense Project
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- tags:
- Protest, Austin, Construction, Direct Action, 7 more
