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Dirty Laundry

NPR's David Molpus concludes Morning Edition's series on Dirty Work with a profile of industrial laundry workers in New York City. Most of these workers are immigrants who are paid less than $7 an hour to clean clothing and linens from restaurants and hospitals. They sort thousands of pounds of laundry by hand, and frequently encounter trash, smeared human waste, and needles. The job has little protection and few rewards, but union leaders are working to improve safety and increase salaries.

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