A Multimillion-Dollar Payday, at the Carwash

Before J.V. Car Wash closed for good, it was open all the time, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Workers put in 12-hour shifts, sponging, drying, and waxing the cars, cleaning the wheels, and vacuuming the interiors, six or even seven days a week. They worked in frigid and searing weather, were expected to use harsh chemical cleaners without gloves, and endured abuse if they took a few minutes to rest. For all this, the employees were paid about $50 a day, roughly $4 an hour. Complaints about low wages were ignored. “The manager would say, ‘If you want to...

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