Filipino chauffeur wins wages back from Citibank executive

Filipino chauffeur wins wages back from Citibank executive

New York—Like most other Filipino migrants in New York, Beaver Martin Barril was middle class in the Philippines, a Regional Sales Manager for a networking company. He ran for Davao City Councilor in 2001 under the party of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Hugpong sa Katawhan, with Bayan Muna Partylist, on a platform of good governance and transparency. Because of the economy under former President Joseph Estrada, he was forced to migrate to the US.

In New York, Barril found work as a personal driver for Citibank executive Marshal Salant and his family. That’s where he experienced the exploitative work conditions and racism faced by thousands of immigrant workers employed directly by New York’s wealthy and business class.

“Because of my status, Salant exploited me by making me work long hours with verbal abuse. I was able to survive for almost three years working with him,” Barril says. “You cannot complain because you’re going to get fired, and I need a job to survive in America. Until one day he told me, ‘From now on, you cannot have your lunch break. If you want to eat, do it inside the car.’ I told him, ‘I am not a robot, I am a human being!’ And he threatened to fire me. So I told him, ‘I quit, because there's no way I can work effectively if you don't treat me as a human being.’”

With the assistance of DAMAYAN Migrant Workers Association and Urban Justice Center Community Development Project, Barril demanded his stolen wages and won justice for his three years of exploitation.

“Many workers in New York, particularly domestic workers, have wages stolen by their employer or suffer from poor working conditions like Martin did,” says Nicole Hallett, a staff attorney at the Urban Justice Center Community Development Project. “However, Martin’s case is proof that workers can stand up for their rights.”

“Martin’s claim is part of over $325,000 we’ve won back in our pursuit of wage justice for Filipino workers,” says Leah Obias, case manager and community organizer of DAMAYAN. “Overall we are seeing more workers with wage theft cases, abrupt terminations, and reduction of hours. We’re seeing more trafficking cases with severe exploitation. This is all part of the global economic crisis. It’s connected to the union-busting in Wisconsin, the public sector worker lay-offs, and the increase in racist enforcement measures in immigrant communities. It’s really an urgent call for a highly organized response.”

“When we encounter this kind of abuse and exploitation we don't just keep quiet,” Barril concluded. “We have to fight back for our rights. It doesn't matter even if you are undocumented, you still have your rights as a worker. I am inviting everybody to join DAMAYAN this coming May 1 for the International Workers’ Day.”

DAMAYAN will join the massive mobilizations on May 1 to demonstrate worker power with a dynamic contingent of Filipino domestic workers, students and youth, in solidarity with other immigrant and working people.

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DAMAYAN Migrant Workers Association

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