Time for action against organized scientology’s labor abuses. What else can be done?

Time for action against organized scientology’s labor abuses. What else can be done?

By now many of you have read something about the new legal case filed against organized scientology for their major abuses of labor and other related laws.

As a quick reference, here are links to several threads about this matter:

1) the first thread announcing this new suit filed made by myself on WhyWeProtest. The suit was filed by attorney Barry Van Sickle representing Marc Headley as the plaintiff:

New Lawsuit filed re organized scientology's labor violations - Why We Protest | Activism Forum

2) a copy of the actual legal complaint filed on January 5, 2009:

[ame="http://www.scribd.com/doc/9856545/Complaint-Filed-1509"]Complaint (Filed 1-5-09)@@AMEPARAM@@/docinfo/9856545?access_key=key-qp2iiytpc3k2al0ticf@@AMEPARAM@@9856545@@AMEPARAM@@key-qp2iiytpc3k2al0ticf[/ame]

3) Marc Headley’s first posting on this subject:

Operation Clambake Message Board :: View topic - BLOWN FOR GOOD LAWSUIT IN CALIFORNIA

4) another posting I made on this subject telling of an administrative complaint filed before the suit which gave many more details of the legal violations:

Labor claim against organized scientology - more important information - Why We Protest | Activism Forum

5) a copy of the actual administrative complaint which was filed on November 17, 2008 (edited to remove names of two people covered in the complaint that organized scientology intimidated into dropping the action):

http://tinyurl.com/7o8r5y

Much is being done behind the scenes by attorneys and others regarding all the above as matters of fact and law are digested and analyzed with tactics and strategy being discussed.

There is also much discussion on various forums and in private messages and emails of people in support of this action. Some, who were ex staff of organized scientology wonder what they can do about all this and if this legal action could somehow apply to them.

I believe it is too early to know who all should be involved, how and if this will proceed to class action status and, if so, when, etc. While anyone should feel free to get in touch with Marc about this as per his posting above, I suggest there is something huge that can be done here and now that truly stands a great chance of making a very positive difference.

I am asking all ex (and even current) staff scientologists who ever were on staff in any organized scientology organizations within the state of California to at least consider making a report of the crimes and abuses you suffered at the hands of organized scientology when on staff.

Have a look at the “administrative complaint” filed by Barry Van Sickle on November 17, 2007 (the link =http://tinyurl.com/7o8r5y ). It was addressed to:

“California Labor & Workforce Development Agency
Attention: Doug Hoffner, Undersecretary
801 K Street, Suite 2101
Sacramento, CA 95814”

You could write your report to them or simply call the agency for a local address to which you can send such a report and then send your report accordingly.

You don’t have to but you might consider sending a copy of your report to the appropriate organized scientology body. For example, those covered in that letter of November 17 worked for Golden Era Productions (a part of the Church of Scientology International). Thus they sent a copy of their letter to:

“Golden Era Productions
19625 Highway 79
Gilman Hot Springs, CA 92583”

You are concerned citizens taking a stand to report abuses of the labor laws. Maybe this will mean you can be compensated for abuses you endured but even if it doesn’t you can be making a difference in getting abuses stopped.

If enough people make their reports I cannot imagine it would not have a huge positive impact towards stopping such abuses. Think of all the possible results such as the Department of Labor FINALLY “getting it” and actually doing something about it. Think of all the current staff in organized scientology that will see these reports (if you decide to send copies to organized scientology) and what effect it may have on them to open their eyes and confront the horror that is part of their daily lives.

It doesn’t matter which organization you worked for in California. It could be the Church of Scientology International, Religious Technology Center, Church of Spiritual Technology, the old Church of Scientology of California, the current “major orgs” there such as the Advanced Organization of Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, American Saint Hill Organization in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Organization, etc., etc.

A simple check of the main websites of organized scientology will give you their addresses if you want them.

What can be covered in your report to the Department of Labor? Any abuses you suffered as part of being on staff in organized scientology. They are almost countless. Some are covered in the above noted letter of November 17 and include:

“LAB 98.6 Retaliation for filing a labor complaint
LAB 201 Wages due upon discharge
LAB 204 Timely payment required
LAB 206 Any release or waiver of wages is null and void
LAB 226 Proper pay records
LAB 226.7 Proper meal breaks must be provided
LAB 432.5 Improper statement cannot be required
LAB 510 California overtime laws
LAB 512 California meal break provisions
LAB 551-552 One day rest in 7 day week
LAB 1102.5 Employee right to report violation
LAB 1175 et. seq. Records and rates on minor employees
LAB 1194-1197 Minimum wage must be paid
LAB 1290 et. seq. Improper employment of minors”

The list goes on and on. How about being beaten while on staff? How about forced lie detector interrogations under duress?

There are THOUSANDS of us.

Now is the time, now is the opportunity and now finally we can all take a stand and make a difference here.

If only a page long you can make a complaint. Tell what scientology organizations for which you worked, when and what abuses you endured and/or violations you witnessed. Ask for your government to do something to help stop the horror which are the working conditions in organized scientology. Be 100% honest in all you report.

You are doing NOTHING WRONG in being a concerned citizen making this report. For years OSA and organized scientology could stop anyone making such a report and nothing would ever come of it. Those days are over.

2008 was a big year for exposing many of the lies, abuses and crimes of organized scientology. IMHO it was nothing compared to what lies ahead in 2009, especially if we will take a stand such as above.

Organized scientology has done a good job of convincing people that the IRS deal makes it a “church”. That has been their legal and PR line for years. The unstated assumption is that a church can do about anything less than murder and mayhem because of the constitutional separation of church and state. That is wrong but I believe that even most lawyers came away from law school with that mistaken belief.

This ends now!

I only ask that all concerned that do not need or wish to remain anonymous for reasons personal to them consider this. All of you who can find it in your hearts to make such a report to the Labor Department please do so. Imagine what could come of 100 such reports! Imagine 500. How about 1,000 or more?

The days of organized scientology committing untold abuses under cover of religious cloaking and corporate veils while stifling the truth through threats and intimidation can be nearing an end. It is up to us to end it.

When I wrote to David Miscavige and his attorney in 2007 pointing out what an abuser, criminal and liar he was and how many people he hurt I was threatened by one of their main attorneys who demanded that I stop posting and telling the truth. Well, I’m still here posting and telling the truth just like many others are now.

They told me that organized scientology will never be reformed or otherwise changed by any of us out of the inner circle and I was laughed at.

Oh really?

I don’t think so!!!

Let’s end this.

IMHO

Larry Brennan

Re: Time for action against organized scientology’s labor abuses. What else can be do

So because there already were LOTS of threads about this, you thought one more would be a good idea?

GTFO!

Re: Time for action against organized scientology’s labor abuses. What else can be do

Class action lawsuits are good for lawyers, not plaintiffs.
If you go class action, they only need to fight one case.
It would be much more difficult for Co$ to fight hundreds of individual cases.
This is the strategy Cos used against Cult Awareness Network as well as the IRS.
Use their own strategy to the advantage of truth and justice.

Re: Time for action against organized scientology’s labor abuses. What else can be do

TheBitch has a point about threadspam, but this is one includes acknowledgment of the interested pms and emails from exes, and more specific information on possible actions that exScientologists can do to assist this great effort.

Spread the word to your local exes

Re: Time for action against organized scientology’s labor abuses. What else can be do

Local exes that ever worked for an Org in California, right?

Re: Time for action against organized scientology’s labor abuses. What else can be do

I really hope everyone who has been staff within the state of California gets on board. There's safety in numbers, and this has a lot of potential to blow the cult out of the water - and maybe win you back some of the losses you suffered in the hands of the cult!

Re: Time for action against organized scientology’s labor abuses. What else can be do

LarryBren-

This thread is a good idea because of the ex's.
The question has come up in other threads about whether a persons experience could be of help, if it happened years/decades ago.

Would reporting every experience help, or is there a specific time frame that you need?

Re: Time for action against organized scientology’s labor abuses. What else can be do

Hey Buttons. Personally I think that anyone who was on staff in a California organization of scientology should feel free to report his/her experiences, even if decades ago. (This does not mean that others outside of California should not also report abuses in their areas. I just focused on California in my posting as there is already an action started there and California scientology organizations employ top management and certainly a large percentage of scientology employees worldwide).

It's not like we are lawyers having to defend some statute of limitations concept or whatever. We are simply citizens reporting what we think are labor law abuses to our designated government reps. I doubt any one or two or ten claims will make some huge difference but if the Labor Department keeps seeing the truth of abuses over and over, some old and some new, I just think there is a decent chance they will decide to investigate further and, god knows, finally do something about it.

Anyway, that's my opinion.

Also, if anyone wants to go to a lawyer for help on this, they should feel free to take to that lawyer a copy of Barry Van Sickles' two write-ups which contain much research and information that may help other attorneys. Just a thought.

Re: Time for action against organized scientology’s labor abuses. What else can be do

LarryBren-

Thanks. I was definitely getting the impression from other threads that alot of ex's felt that their experience related, but happened too long ago to be of consequence.

So this is about "strength in numbers"?

This is turning out to be such a great month!

Re: Time for action against organized scientology’s labor abuses. What else can be do

Go, go go!

Larry's asking that all exes help the Dept of Laborites understand that Marc's is not an isolated claim. Once they "get it", this will make the investigation into CoS labor practices a high priority from a public interest perspective.

That's why telling your story in a report to the Dept will be valuable, whether or not you end up having a right to sue.

Re: Time for action against organized scientology’s labor abuses. What else can be do

With the amount of transfers between orgs that goes on, there are exes all over the world who have worked in LA at some point

Re: Time for action against organized scientology’s labor abuses. What else can be do

......wonders if similar laws apply to Clearwater....

Re: Time for action against organized scientology’s labor abuses. What else can be do

And even if an ex has worked in another state, this case is relevant to their interests.

The U.S. Department of Labor will be interested, whatever state you are from.

U.S. Department of Labor -- Contact Us
U.S. Department of Labor - Employment Standards Administration (ESA) - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - Contact Us
OSHA Public Website Contact Information Page

U.S. Department of Labor - Employment Standards Administration (ESA) - Wage and Hour Division - U.S. Department of Labor-General Information on the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
U.S. Department of Labor - Find It By Topic - Leave Benefits - FMLA
http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs23.pdf
U.S. Department of Labor - Employment Standards Administration (ESA) - Wage & Hour Divisions (WHD) - State Labor Laws
U.S. Department of Labor - Employment Standards Administration (ESA) - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - About WHD
Compliance Assistance Employment Law Guide - Whistleblower Protection



And any exes who have been staff outside the US, consider the possibility that local labor laws apply to your situation. Authorities in the UK and Australia are already investigating violations, according to reports:

http://forums.whyweprotest.net/15-m...vestigate-working-wages-uk-help-needed-14925/
[ame="http://www.vimeo.com/1295178"]Scientology Child Labor Exposed on Australian National TV on Vimeo[/ame]

Re: Time for action against organized scientology’s labor abuses. What else can be do

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Please go to your local org. and take a picture of it, maybe a few, because they will ALL be closing soon.
Someday we will only see them in history books........LOL!

Re: Time for action against organized scientology’s labor abuses. What else can be do

I was going over the IRS closing agreement and I found this:

I don't know if this helps and it might have been one of the new things added to the case i have not read yet. but thought I would leave it here.

Re: Time for action against organized scientology’s labor abuses. What else can be do

While you are thinking about labor laws and wage issues, consider any OSHA violations you may have witnessed or been subjected to. You can make a legally anonymous complaint, links to relevant California information are in a thread made about 911 access

http://forums.whyweprotest.net/8-ed...going-911-calls-legality-blocking-them-40722/