Perdue faces suit over hiring
by Philip D. Brown
1 hr 43 mins ago

Perdue Farms is preparing to defend itself against charges it regularly hires and harbors undocumented immigrant workers.

Lawyers for the company said Friday they feel there is no merit to a class action lawsuit. It accuses Perdue of criminal conspiracy in hiring illegal aliens at 16 of its poultry processing facilities in eight states. One of the plants named is in Rockingham.

The Richmond County plant employs about 1,300 workers. There are three others in North Carolina - Fayetteville, Concord and Lewistown.

It was filed in U.S. District Court in Alabama on behalf of anyone who worked for the company legally between March 2006 and March 2010.

Lance Oliver, an attorney for the South Carolina firm Motley Rice, one of three law firms representing plaintiffs in the suit, accused the company of illegal hiring practices in a press release.

“Our clients have alleged that this hiring scheme is perpetrated every day as an integral part of Perdue’s regular hiring and employment practices and that it will continue unabated, victimizing legal workers until halted by judicial intervention,â€