Workers sue U.S. factory after immigration raid

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Reuters

BOSTON (Reuters) - Workers including 361 illegal immigrants were cheated of hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime pay at a factory at the center of a high-profile raid in Massachusetts, according to a lawsuit filed on Tuesday.

The class-action lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Boston on behalf of 500 workers, follows a raid by federal immigration agents on March 6 that drew criticism of the Bush administration's immigration policy and brought national attention to the perils facing undocumented workers.

Dozens of children were stranded when 361 workers at Michael Bianco Inc., which makes equipment and apparel for the U.S. military, were arrested by federal agents in New Bedford, a port city about 55 miles south of Boston.

Many of the immigrants were initially held at a decommissioned Army base in Massachusetts before being flown to Texas.

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It said the company channeled payroll through Front Line to avoid a federal law requiring workers be paid time and a half for overtime.




Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN1543286320070515?feedType=RSS&rpc=22

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I have no problem with raiding employers who employ illegal aliens, that being said they should get the pay they are entitled to. These bastard employers are cheating people of just wages!

[havocmom]

1. Wouldn't put it past some illegal EMPLOYERS to call in a tip themselves

They might get a slap on the wrist, but look at the $$ they can save if they time it right. And they are ALL about the money.

[provis99]

2. regardless of whether they're illegal or not, if you don't pay them what they've earned

that's just another name for slave labor. Take the rotten company and their ceo masters for everything they've got!