Thread: WA-3 Latino workers sue Auburn firm

3 Latino workers sue Auburn firm



Tuesday, August 5, 2008 - Page updated at 12:00 AM




Three Latino construction workers are suing their former employer, Precision Drywall of Auburn, claiming they were routinely cheated out of pay and forced to give cash "rebates" of up to $150 from their wages back to their employer. Denying the allegations, Precision Drywall said they were disgruntled workers who were laid off due to a slowdown in the housing market.

By Lornet Turnbull

Seattle Times staff reporter

Three Latino construction workers who helped build homes throughout the Puget Sound area claim in a lawsuit that they were routinely cheated out of overtime pay and were required to work off the clock and to make cash "rebates" from their wages back to their employer.

In the suit against Auburn-based Precision Drywall, the three allege the company violated state labor laws by engaging in a "systematic scheme of wage and hour abuse" against them and other construction workers, most of whom are Latino and believed to be undocumented.

But a Precision Drywall owner said the workers are disgruntled former employees, two of whom were laid off because of lack of work in a weakening housing market. The third one, he said, was fired for routinely showing up late for work and then leaving early to operate his carpet-cleaning business.

The lawsuit comes at a time when the construction industry has laid off thousands across the country, many of them illegal immigrants who in recent years have found lucrative employment in the building trades.

And it raises questions around the vulnerability of such workers — a key claim for advocates in calling for immigration reform.

Attorneys are seeking class-action status for the case brought by the three workers, Isaias Ramirez, Mario Hernandez and Gilberto Mendoza.

"There's a basic minimum treatment that all people who work in the state of Washington deserve, regardless of their immigration status, and it was not being given here," said Matthew Van Giesson, a Kent attorney helping to represent the workers.

"These workers were getting less income and lower levels of pay because of these practices. ... And if no one raises a voice, nothing will change."

Precision employs dozens of people, mostly Latinos, who do drywall work throughout the Puget Sound area, primarily for Quadrant Homes, a subsidiary of Weyerhaeuser.

The three who sued were laid off over the last several months, and they allege they were forced to work seven days a week and late nights to meet deadlines during the building boom. They claim Precision often didn't pay them for all their work and refused them proper rest and meal breaks.

Additionally, they said, they were required to make a cash-rebate payment of about $150 each pay period to a group leader, money they believe went to help pay for company vehicles, cellphones and other equipment.

Jim Lea, an owner of Precision, called the claims unfounded and challenged the former workers to name those who demanded such cash rebates. Precision provides all its employees with safety equipment such as hard hats and goggles, while the workers supply their own personal equipment such as tapes and utility knives.

"We hand them a paycheck every two weeks; I don't know what they do with their money, but they're not rebating it to anyone in my office," Lea said.

Lea said the local home-construction industry has seen the kind of slowing that has occurred elsewhere in the country. "We're doing 60 percent of the work we were doing just a year ago," he said. "We've had to lay off a lot of people — 30 to 40 percent of our work force."

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company




http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/l ... nsuit.html

This should serve as a warning to employers who hire illegal aliens. This article doesn't state whether these workers were illegal or not.

I hope Precision gets nailed!

Maybe the company was dumping illegal workers due to crackdowns?
It would be a wise move to layoff any suspected illegal workers first. Of course, you can not publicly admit this because that is discrimination.

My citizen husband tried to get help from the wage and hour commission many years ago. He was expected to work overtime for regular hourly pay, and no benefits other than workmans comp if he got hurt. The commission would not help. My hubby quit and got a college education and now competes with legal visa immigrants.

Originally Posted by miguelina

This should serve as a warning to employers who hire illegal aliens. This article doesn't state whether these workers were illegal or not.

I hope Precision gets nailed!

I hope so too:

"These workers were getting less income and lower levels of pay because of these practices. ... And if no one raises a voice, nothing will change."

We are raising our voices. You've depressed the wages by hiring them, now you want to sue for 'your rights.' Give me a break. I'll sue the employer for aiding and abetting and not hiring me and American citizen.

So much for living in the shadows!


"AUGUST FUND RAISER"
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Please make a donation and help alipac stay in the fight!
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Originally Posted by SOSADFORUS

So much for living in the shadows!


"AUGUST FUND RAISER"
... "DONATIONS NEEDED"...
Please make a donation and help alipac stay in the fight!
Remember every little bit makes a difference !!
http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=C ... page&pid=9

ROFLMBO

Originally Posted by miguelina

This should serve as a warning to employers who hire illegal aliens. This article doesn't state whether these workers were illegal or not.

I hope Precision gets nailed!

Here's the operative hint:

In the suit against Auburn-based Precision Drywall, the three allege the company violated state labor laws by engaging in a "systematic scheme of wage and hour abuse" against them and other construction workers, most of whom are Latino and believed to be undocumented.

On another topic -

Also, I totally disagree with the attorneys trying to file the class action suit that state, in effect, "immigration status shouldn't matter in the treatment of workers...<blah, blah, blah>". It does, and it should.

Attorneys are seeking class-action status for the case brought by the three workers, Isaias Ramirez, Mario Hernandez and Gilberto Mendoza.

"There's a basic minimum treatment that all people who work in the state of Washington deserve, regardless of their immigration status, and it was not being given here," said Matthew Van Giesson, a Kent attorney helping to represent the workers.

I'm going to assume the workers here are illegal invaders...or if they are not, certainly illegal invaders stand to profit from this class action law suit being filed on their behalf.

I have said it over and over and over again. This is what happens when you hire or otherwise do business with illegal invaders. As soon as the relationship no longer benefits them, they turn around and stab you in the back with lawsuits and allegations that you owe them money.

And why not! They are stupid illegal invaders with an endless supply of bravado and nothing to lose. It doesn't cost them anything to hire some ambulance-chasing lawyer that will take the case on contingency and then boast "their immigration status is irrelevant."

Why would you as a business owner take the chance? Are you that $$#@ greedy! Wouldn't it have been cheaper to hire American citizens from the beginning and pay them a living wage, rather than to deal with illegal invaders and all the inherent problems they bring to the table!

Far as i'm concerned, if you hire or do busines with illegal invaders, then you deserve EVERYTHING you get! I have no sympathy for you!