Documentary reveals latino wage theft in car wash industry

On this special episode of “Horizonte,” Arizona PBS partnered with WorkingNation to present the documentary “The True Cost of a Car Wash: Latino Workers and Wage Theft.” The film highlights issues of wage theft and economic inequality disproportionately affecting Latino workers, and is part of a broader series exploring challenges and solutions in Hispanic communities.

The film delves into a Los Angeles program designed to help car wash workers get the pay they deserve along with safe working environments. The documentary is sparking the conversation about combating the wage disparities for Hispanics in Arizona.

Jacqueline Mendez Soto, Partner in Barton Mendez Soto Law Firm, and Bill Ruiz, Arizona Representative for Western States Carpenters Local Union 1912, joined “Horizonte” host Catherine Anaya to examine the challenges and discuss potential solutions to protect workers’ rights and promote economic equity.

“Arizona comes to a very close second in terms of wage theft in the U.S. because of the huge influx of the migrant workers,” Ruiz said.

“Reviewing the Department of Labor on the awards they’ve obtained for just 2024 alone is over $12 million, which is incredible,” Soto explained. There are several tricks employers utilize to pay less than the minimum wage, sometimes unknowingly but sometimes intentionally.

Ruiz points out misclassification is the big one. For instance when you utilize the union skilled labor workforce, there’s certifications that go with the training they receive. If a contractor is not using a certified worker on their project, it simply makes them an independent contractor.

The film explores how programs are providing resources and education to empower Hispanics to become entrepreneurs and reclaim their rights.

The documentary “True Cost of a Car Wash” was made possible thanks to the generosity of Lumina Foundation.