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Employees and members of Mayweather Boxing and Fitness in Los Angeles walked out in protest of nonpayment of wages by the company. They claim Floyd Mayweather, who owns the gym, hasn’t paid his workers in weeks.
In addition to walking out, the employees staged a demonstration outside the facility, holding up signs and shouting out their displeasure using a microphone. A couple of the signs being carried by protesters read “The $ Team has no $” and “Hard work, dedication…and then what?” Two other signs accused Mayweather Boxing and Fitness of “labor trafficking” and “modern-day slavery.”
“We’re out here just letting everybody know that they have not been treating us right,’ one of the employees said, the Daily Mail reports.
“Even if you work for a different company and you ain’t getting paid, you’re scared to show up and say something because you know how businesses do. They silence you and they fire you because everything’s ‘at will.'”
According to Citizen, “The employees claim they haven’t been paid in weeks, leaving them struggling to pay rent and bills. They also allege Mayweather Boxing + Fitness is violating the California Labor Code and are calling on the community for support. Additionally, the group claims the location is set to close soon.”
HR Grapevine reports that under California Labor Code 210 employers who do not pay employees on time face a penalty of $100 for a first-time violation. A second violation results in a $200 fine for each unpaid employee, plus “25% of the amount unlawfully withheld.” If, after 30 days, the wages still haven’t been paid, “workers are entitled to full pay at their regular rate and could file a lawsuit against the gym.”
One employee said that they weren’t even sure if Floyd Mayweather knows, or cares, what is happening at his gym in Los Angeles.
“Who knows if he’s aware or not? We don’t,” a worker said. “I was told that we can’t tell him. I can’t tell him that our studio’s closing, and he was here two weeks ago. We’ve been silenced.”
Earlier this week, the boxer shared a video that was posted to YouTube claiming he has over one billion dollars in real estate holdings.
The 47-year-old Mayweather is reportedly currently in talks to stage a boxing exhibition against British YouTuber KSI.