According to worker allegations, they were referred to as ‘dogs’ rather than employees.
The workers claim they faced harassment when using bathroom facilities, with owners directing them demeaningly to use toilets at their own ‘casitas.’
They say they were denied lunch breaks entirely. Instead, the owners of Boston Hides and Furs on Marginal Street—the Andreottola family—allegedly told workers to eat the animal skins they handled during their 60-hour weekly shifts.
According to the workers, Anthony Andreottola allegedly threatened that if the skins made them sick, they would be discarded in the dumpster like ‘dogs’ or ‘sick cows.’
The workers describe experiencing constant humiliation, violence threats, and hundreds of daily insults.
Ultimately, the decisive factor was that these workers earned below minimum wage for their grueling labor—averaging just $300 weekly for 60 hours of backbreaking work.
For years, the workers endured these conditions in silence.
Last year, they broke their silence despite facing ridicule and threats directed at them and their families. Most of these Chelsea residents found three allies ready to support them. On Monday, the U.S. Department of Labor, Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS), and the Chelsea Collaborative announced that the Andreottola family had been ordered to pay just under $1 million in back wages to the 15 workers at the tannery on Marginal Street.
According to GBLS Attorney Audrey Richardson, “They worked in a constant atmosphere of intimidation, humiliation and fear for years. The employers, specifically Anthony Andreottola, constantly threatened and humiliated these workers. They screamed at them, yelled profanities at them in English, Spanish and Italian. They would harass them when they went to the bathroom, knocking on the door and telling them to get back to work and take a [expletive deleted] in their own ‘casitas.’ They did this so that workers were afraid to go to the bathroom. When it was time for lunch, they were told they couldn’t have lunch and they were lazy – that if they wanted to eat, they could eat the animal skins and if they died from that, they would be thrown in the dumpsters like sick cows. They were referred to routinely as ‘dogs,’ ‘horses,’ or ‘dead cows.’ They were mocked and told that they were sick or handicapped if they went to slow. They were constantly mocked by being asked if they’d eaten their papusas that day – which is a type of food eaten by Latino workers.”
The conditions revealed at Monday’s press conference proved even more disturbing than the historic settlement itself—which reached back an unprecedented four years and required $925,000 in payments to the 15 workers named in the complaint. The Andreottolas, who reside in a home in Lynnfield, also faced a $50,000 fine from the Department of Labor, bringing the total penalty to $975,000. The settlement amounted to double the back wages plus overtime compensation (time and a half) spanning four years. Additionally, $100,000 was awarded to 14 of the workers who were terminated following an unannounced federal inspection of the tannery last year. Normally, the Department of Labor can only pursue claims going back two years due to statute of limitations, but in rare and serious cases, they may obtain a waiver to extend back four years.
This case apparently represented one of the most egregious situations encountered in recent memory, warranting the four-year waiver.
Richardson elaborated further: “I think most of us when thinking of working in this environment are horrified, which makes it all the more brave and courageous these workers came forward to tell their story. I think we can all agree that the way Boston Hides and Furs did business was no way to do business and this is no way to treat fellow human beings and employees. We hope today Boston Hides and Furs learned its lesson well and any other employer who would treat their employees this way in order to profit should think hard about that. We hope everyone sees that engaging in this kind of exploitation and abuse is not only reprehensible, but also will have serious consequences as well.”
Though many employees attended Monday’s conference, Collaborative Director Gladys Vega noted that numerous workers remained fearful of speaking publicly, concerned about retaliation from the Andreottolas and even from their own family members.
“Some workers may not join us here because they are afraid of retaliation,” Vega explained. “Many of these workers still live in Chelsea and some of their own family members think what they did in coming forward is wrong. We stand for them here today. Today is an amazing victory. We want workers in Chelsea to understand they have rights and if we fight hard, workers will win. No matter who the workers are or where they come from, we will fight for them against exploitation.”
The Monday settlement announcement represented the conclusion of an investigation beginning in May 2012, though its origins traced back to 2005. The investigation’s narrative reads more like fiction than a typical factory inspection.
On May 2, 2012, Department of Labor officials made their initial visit to the Marginal Street tannery. The owners, having received advance notice, allegedly gathered workers into a nearby home and concealed them during the inspection.
According to Richardson, “They had a warning of the visit and the employer had workers hidden in a nearby home. The workers were ordered to stay in the house and stay quiet and away from the windows while the inspectors were there.”
Despite passing that inspection, the Department of Labor remained unconvinced and returned with a surprise visit one week later, discovering several workers who had been absent previously.
“On that visit the investigators were able to talk to the workers and discuss why they had been missing mysteriously one week before,” Richardson said.
Two days after that second visit, Boston Hides and Furs terminated all 14 workers who had been hidden, providing no reason. These 14 fired workers, along with a 15th worker who had originally contacted the Department of Labor, became the basis for the complaint.
The 15th worker initiated disclosure of conditions at Boston Hides and Furs while attending a worker training seminar at the Chelsea Collaborative in 2012. His accounts of what transpired at the facility shocked and disturbed those present, according to Collaborative staff.
Eventually, the workers resolved to file a formal complaint.
“It took enormous courage for these workers to come forward,” Vega stated. “We had tried before, but they weren’t ready.”
That earlier attempt occurred in 2005 when Boston Hides and Furs faced scrutiny from neighbors complaining about severe odors and animal remains scattered on surrounding streets. The facility encountered significant consequences and was forced to modify its operations.
The company even briefly sponsored a Chelsea youth sports team, ostensibly demonstrating community commitment.
Collaborative members suspect this was merely performative.
Vega reported that they had observed and learned of abusive worker conditions in 2005, and Collaborative members attempted to encourage workers to speak out, but the timing proved wrong.
“We stayed outside and watched the workers come out and then followed them to their homes,” Vega recalled. “We talked to them about what was going on, but they didn’t want anything to do with us. They weren’t ready then.”
The 15 employees will receive their initial payments from the Andreottolas this coming Monday, with remaining payments distributed through scheduled installments concluding this coming January.
Vega emphasized that neither the Collaborative nor GBLS receives any portion of the settlement or compensation for their role in assisting the workers.