B&H Got Some 'Splaining To Do

rexbobcat · Oct 13, 2015

Photo retailer B&H faces unwanted exposure over worker safety

EIngerson · Oct 13, 2015

Well, keep an eye on prices.

DarkShadow · Oct 13, 2015

Yes I don't believe a lot of whats being said.Over worked long hours maybe but denied to water or bathroom breaks or denied medical attention when needed sounds like a lot of BS to me. A supervisor threw hot water on a one of the workers and slapped his face,what a crock of s**t.

rexbobcat · Oct 13, 2015

Eh, I wouldn't be surprised if there was some truth to the comments considering the similar dissatisfaction that employees have said they have with the other big warehouse company, Amazon. Some of the warehouse workers are apparently undocumented, so it's not like they could just go report workplace abuse. That's not to say it isn't hyperbole, but I wouldn't outright dismiss their claims simply because B&H seems like a nice company.

nycphotography · Oct 13, 2015

how typical. one sided journalism. not one interview with any satisfied employees, or with any present or even former employees with a different point of view. and no indication of the great effort expended looking for an alternate point of view to avail.

I'm not saying anything in the story is false. Unfortunately, the third world / high school newspaper level of reporting has left me with too little information to have any informed opinion on the matter.

I will say this... I tend to identify more with the working class than the owning class, yet this story completely fails to resonate with me as anything more than typical worker exaggerations and propaganda.

I mean, you work in a damn camera store after all, yet you can't manage to get one picture of the said infractions?

vintagesnaps · Oct 13, 2015

How is it that there seems to be no other news story on this? in NYC of all places, why is there no other news source covering this?

The video shows a protest in front of the store but the signs say laundry workers. I don't know why they're protesting in front of the B&H store, it makes no sense.

There may be problems at the store and/or their warehouse, I don't know, but this doesn't seem to necessarily be giving reliable information.

waday · Oct 14, 2015

We can all claim that we don't want to believe the stories of warehouse workers, but I totally agree with @rexbobcat re: similar stories about Amazon.

By the way, this is in other sources, as well. Namely, the New York Times.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/10/1...ize.html?_r=0&referer=https://www.google.com/

vintagesnaps said:
How is it that there seems to be no other news story on this? in NYC of all places, why is there no other news source covering this?

The video shows a protest in front of the store but the signs say laundry workers. I don't know why they're protesting in front of the B&H store, it makes no sense.

This quote from the NYTimes may help explain that:
Mahoma Lopez, a co-director of the Laundry Workers Center, an advocacy group that works mainly with low-income immigrant workers, said they had begun meeting last year with B&H warehouse employees.

dcbear78 · Oct 14, 2015

nycphotography said:
how typical. one sided journalism. not one interview with any satisfied employees, or with any present or even former employees with a different point of view. and no indication of the great effort expended looking for an alternate point of view to avail.

I'm not saying anything in the story is false. Unfortunately, the third world / high school newspaper level of reporting has left me with too little information to have any informed opinion on the matter.

I will say this... I tend to identify more with the working class than the owning class, yet this story completely fails to resonate with me as anything more than typical worker exaggerations and propaganda.

I mean, you work in a damn camera store after all, yet you can't manage to get one picture of the said infractions?

It did say they tried to get a comment from B&H but we're denied/ignored.

I'm speculating here but I'd say all employees have been banned from talking to the media unless an authorised representative. Any job I've been in has had this as a condition of my employment. Obviously the ones fighting management don't care so much for this rule right now.

And these people don't work in a camera store. They work in a warehouse. The closest they come to handling a camera is the picture on the outside of the box.

runnah · Oct 14, 2015

Eh I'll order from Adorama.

limr · Oct 14, 2015

Damn, I was about to put an order in.

Designer · Oct 14, 2015

limr said:
Damn, I was about to put an order in.

Withholding your order won't make B&H capitulate, IMO.

tirediron · Oct 14, 2015

If the job was so bad, would you really stay in it? I'm sure there are issues, but there are at any large company, especially when you have a large un or semi-skilled workforce. At the end of the day, this is purely an internal issue.

Mr. Innuendo · Oct 14, 2015

"The men, many of whom are undocumented..."

Well, there ya' go. If they weren't here, they wouldn't be having these problems.

I don't want to give this a political slant, but it's part of the article referenced. I've no sympathy for them if their allegations are true (and I don't necessarily believe they are).

Also, let's consider the source. Al Jazeera being critical of a Jewish owned company?

Shocking.

DarkShadow · Oct 14, 2015

Most if not all work place's have issues or some sort of abuse one way or another but when people are unhappy in a work environment people tend to stretch the truth and even flat out lie.Second if your going to live in the US become a legal Citizen,not thats an excuse to treat anyone any different but just saying. Placing another order from B&H next month if the price don't sky rocket.