Woman claims local store has been without A/C for two weeks
UPDATE (09/24/18)
Michaels’ responded to several concerned customers through their official Twitter page with the following statement over the weekend:
“The comfort and safety of our team members and customers is a top priority. We are aware of the cooling issue and are working diligently to repair the unit. In the meantime, we are working to provide temporary HVAC units while repairs to the main HVAC is pending.”
News 11 called Michaels located at 320 W 32nd St. in the Big Curve Shopping Center Monday. The store manager at the time said they received working air a day after our report aired.
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A Yuma resident claims a local arts and crafts store has been without air conditioning for weeks and is trying to help the employees cool down.
Marissa Cruz has lived in Yuma for 16 years and knows how hot it can get. As a frequent customer of the Michaels store along the Big Curve, she said her last visit was different.
“It was really hot in there. My son, he’s asthmatic and he’s like, the flowers, this is bothering me,” Cruz exclaimed.
Cruz visited the store on Sunday and asked an employee if the air conditioning was off.
“It was just like sweat coming down, she was just like yes! The air’s been down for two weeks,” Cruz added.
Cruz said she tried talking to the employees, but said they are not allowed to talk about it. She took action herself and has called corporate every day since she visited.
“Supposedly they were going to have water coolers and there were no water coolers. I called yesterday to the Michaels and they told me, no there are no water coolers here,” said Cruz.
News 11 went to the Michaels store to see if the claims were true.
When asking employees about the air conditioning, they said they couldn’t talk to media.
We called Michaels’ corporate office to see if they were aware of the problem in an effort to see how they can fix the situation but have been unsuccessful. We also reached out to them Twitter.
Cruz thinks the whole situation is sad.
” Michaels is a big chain and should have it fixed, regardless if it’s an old building or not,” Cruz added.
The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration said excessive exposure to heat in a workplace can cause heat-related illness or stroke.
The administration is urging customers to file a complaint with them if they believe employees are at risk.
