Covering Louisiana
Suit accuses La. companies of exploiting workers
Posted: Jun 18, 2012 11:17 AM by AP
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A group of Filipino guest workers who sued their Louisiana-based employers for allegedly subjecting them to inhumane working and living conditions claim company officials have threatened some of them with deportation unless they drop the case.
Lawyers for the workers on Friday asked a federal judge in New Orleans to issue a court order barring Grand Isle Shipyard Inc. and DNR-Offshore and Crewing Inc. from contacting their clients.
U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt didn't immediately rule on the request.
The workers' class-action suit claims they were confined to cramped living quarters and forced to work long hours for substandard pay. The companies say the workers' claims are false and should be dismissed.
Several recruiting agencies that helped the workers secure visas also are named as defendants in the case.
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