PIPE GRIPE: Roto-Rooter Faces Legal Action For Putting Unlicensed Plumbers to Work

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http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/06/29/989762/-PIPE-GRIPE:-Roto-Rooter-Faces-Legal-Action-For-Putting-Unlicensed-Plumbers-to-Work?mid=50


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Three local plumbers are suing Roto-Rooter, claiming the company repeatedly sent unlicensed apprentices out on plumbing jobs in violation of state rules.
The plumbers, who worked for Roto-Rooter’s Stoughton office, claim they were regularly deprived of work that was instead given to apprentices. They also claim the company penalized them for signing their names to a wage-and-hour class action lawsuit in New York federal court by further reducing their work assignments.

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Why send someone who could royally fuck up a house’s plumbing? Roto-Rooter works on a system of commission. Experienced, licensed plumbers like Pedersen get a bigger cut out of the fee for a job. The people without a license get paid a smaller share, but the company gets to charge the same. They can get away with this because they bill themselves as a “drain cleaning company,” and work in the shadows of state regulations.

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The lawsuit has sparked retaliation from Roto-Rooter, according to the plaintiffs. It is part of broader federal class action against the company, a case that alleges that "the company unlawfully reduced their wages through paycheck deductions requiring them to bear Roto-Rooter’s business expenses. That lawsuit also alleges that Roto-Rooter encouraged workers to put in unrecorded time."
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Pipe Grip good wordage re: all things involving our money and pipes from small to large ones.

[CountAllVotes]

1. my former neighbor worked for Roto-Rooter

He was also an immigrant from Costa Rica I believe it was. Was he an illegal immigrant? I don't know.

However, what I do know is that he is a crappy (literally) plumber and he tried to get me to call him directly if I needed a plumber again rather than contact Roto-Rooter.

I never called him and he is gone now. :think:

[Chih]

2. A licensed plumber is not required if the municipality does not require a plumbing/building permit.

The only thing that should matter is whether or not Roto-Rooters customers are satisfied with the services they are paying for.