Deadspin
Our old pal Dave Zirin, who's over at SI.com now, has been keeping an eye on some of Orioles owner Peter Angelos' labor practices over there in Ballmer. And whatever your politics are, it's pretty difficult not to be disgusted.
The people who clean up Camden Yards after games, and keep it one of the most gorgeous, most profitable stadiums in baseball are barely making a living wage.
The UWA, a human rights group founded by homeless day laborers in Baltimore, represents 800 low-wage workers who make up the pool of the 100-120 people who keep Camden Yards clean. Stadium workers—the people who clean out the bathroom stalls, sweep up the small mountains of cigarette butts and make the Camden Yards experience as pristine as promised—make poverty wages, just $7 an hour.
Because they are doing "day labor," members of the UWA who show up to work are sent home if they're not needed. The wages are so low, and the job so "flexible," that some workers live in homeless shelters. One worker was kicked out of public housing because her pay that month couldn't match the monthly rent. ... The UWA claims that in 2004 Angelos promised to make up the difference in a living wage out of his own deep pockets. It's a promise he has failed to keep.
By the way, Kris Benson is making nearly $8 million for the Orioles this season.
Cleaning Up After The Orioles [The Nation]
Comments
STUPID ANGELOS!
Awesome Angelos!
What is Anna Benson making this year?
Given the no-hitter given up to a rookie making his second start and the 30 runs given up to the otherwise awful Texas Rangers, the clean-up crew for Camden Yards ought to pull the players' salaries.
Angelos is just being punitive since he found out he couldn't hire 800 Greeks to do the job.
You want to make rent? Angelos suggests you expose yourself to asbestos.
@TheStarterWife: An ass of herself.
How much did his prosthetic nose cost?
What do want from him? Institutional mediocrity (e.g., Mora, Millar, a barren farm system, the entire pitching staff) is expensive.
@TheStarterWife: Not sure yet. It takes a while to count up all the singles.
Can't they just all sign up as extras on The Wire?
Not to mention how much money they threw away on that clown in the picture above.
Wait....didn't Angelos make most of his money as a plaintiff's lawyer, defending the rights of the poor, the downtrodden and the oppressed against evil corporations, all for a mere 33.3% contingency fee (and costs)?
I guess this is reverse penance.
Pete, rats move trash for free.
-Arte Moreno
You want to know why they're homeless? It's because they don't have enough maps to find the homes.
[/last_weeks's_humor]
In all seriousness though, Angelos is an unbelievable piece of shit.
In Kris Benson's defense, it does cost a lot to keep Anna barely clothed.
As long as Boog Powell keeps showing up for work, I'm still visiting Camden Yards.
Pickles Pub and Boog: I don't even need the O's to be there. In fact, I'd rather have them stay home.
Homeless people set up a non-profit?
@TheStarterWife: I don't know. What is the going rate for a lap dance in Maryland these days?
What do you bet he finds a way to blame Jeffrey Mayer?
I bet Scrooge Angelos didn't even buy his workers shiny new cars either. Outrageous!
@TheStarterWife: More than she reports.
I think this is just his version of a farm system. The idea is that if these people experience the same poverty Sammy Sosa experienced in the Dominican Republic, they'll become all-star baseball players.
Sometimes, Cal Ripken murders the ones sent home for sport then has sex with the corpses.
/tearing down an icon
^
@TBoRF: I see the humour, but it only makes sense.
It was even worse when Boddicker was still pitching. He only threw junk.
Angelos is also the guy behind those "Bum Fights" videos..
Wait, for some reason I thought Angelos had done a lot of union-side work as a lawyer. Was he a personal injury guy?
Excuse me, but your politics is exposed.
[preparing for the backlash].
He looks like a cross between Tommy Lasorda and Rodney Dangerfield.
Angelos is considering outsourcing the stadium to Bangalore.
@ArkansasFred: I think Bubbles could hit 3rd.
I propose they just strip whatever copper they can off the stadium.
@Leitch: I am disgusted -that I've had to deal with leftist drivel from Dave Zirin for consecutive weeks.
Newsflash - ballplayers make more than the people that clean the stadium. Here's another idea - spend less time forming "human rights groups" when homeless, spend more time finding non-day laborer/full-time employment.
@Wilf: His nickname is the "Asbestos King." He made his bones representing people who got Mesothelioma from working with asbestos.
@The Legend of Vincent Tremblay: "What is the going rate for a lap dance in Maryland these days?"
With or without crabs?
Isn't $7 a day more than minimum wage? What's the issue? What do you think they should be getting paid? They are part time cleaners. Can you get any less skilled than that? What do you think the people cleaning your office building are getting? I don't believe they live next to you.
Not to defend Angelos, but the Stadium Corp. contracts a day labor provider to do the cleaning. Angelos is not responsible.
That said, stupid Angelos! I'll try not to spill too much nacho sauce at the pants party on Saturday.
to be fair. everyone hates the homeless, just not all of us say it out loud
@Wilf: this is the very first sentence from his firm's webpage: "At the Law Offices of Peter G. Angelos, PC, we have been dedicated to serving the legal needs of working men and women since 1961."
wow.
@dismalScientist: $7 an hour. This isn't a sally struther's commercial.
Angel-os?
@TheStarterWife: of course the club is probably near the seafood market.
I heard a rickshaw ride to the stadium from your car is only $5.00 now.
@jose reyes.the roof: Notwithstanding reality in organizing (legally), the words are fun to see together.
@rsr26: fuck you, not funny.
Not to defend Angelos, but I am pretty sure this is close to what all people who clean stadiums make for that job. Jo Pa wouldn't have paid them at all.
@Signal to Noise: Is that the smell?
(Sorry... so sorry...)
@J-No: Those Penn State fans are probably dumb enough to do it for free.
@J-No: If Penn State athletes made more, they'd win more bowl games.
@Hit Bull Win Steak: I thought that was Logan Echolls....
@dismalScientist: In reality, it's a lot less than $7 an hour. They must line up outside the stadium 2 hours before starting work. They aren't paid for that time.
Maryland minimum wage = 6.15/hr. So it sucks to be them? and all people working minimum wage jobs?
-not any kind of political statement-
@TBoRF: Dude, (I work in a state legislature) - the homeless have lobbyists.
@We Are Donyell Marshall: Which would tell us that there is the labor market would accept even lower wages, no? It's not Angelos fault that the economy sucks in Baltimore. Let's put the liberal white guilt in the trashcan with our 5 dollar coffees.
@David Hume: I bet that lobbyists salary could...oh, I don't know...feed alot of homeless folks?
@dismalScientist: Please note, I'm in no way, shape or form a conservative. I just don't think this is worth getting all up in arms as hypocrisy will rear its head much sooner than usual.
@We Are Donyell Marshall: Should they be? I mean, they aren't doing any work at that point. Think about it, if you work for an hourly wage, do you get paid for your commute?
The homeless probably just sleep outside the stadium and miss out on the commute time, so things are evened out now.
@The Gentleman Masher: Well, a normal lobbyist, yes. But they pay this guy in piss-stained starter jackets and empty tall boys.
[/I'm a heel]
@David Hume: In the right state, say Michigan, and the deposits on those tallboys would really start to add up. The homeless can drink a lot.