I've worked for that sort of employer. They're not going to change their policies/ behaviors unless forced into it. Right now they're making more money making people work ridiculous hours than they would if they hired enough employees to do the job properly. Sure they may have to pay overtime, but they're only paying 1 set of benefits.
Management gets bonuses based on profits or money saved. Less employees is an easy way to save money.
You can see what sort of legal protection employees have in your state or possibly get a union involved. Sometimes just the threat of a union will make employers back down. Every year the company I worked for would put on a big show of how much they cared about their workers just so they wouldn't talk to a union. They didn't want it to go to a vote.
Rules are different for salaried employees. That's what I was and there was basically no protection in this state for salaried employees.
Rodney