Unpaid wages and overtime are sought by employees at a Kansas slaughterhouse, Creekstone Farms Premium Beef. The federal lawsuit seeks class-action status for the 700 individuals employed by the Arkansas City plant.
Workers at the plant are seeking monies for uncompensated work and time as well as the legal costs associated with bringing this action. The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, claiming unpaid wages for all time worked, names Paz Sanchez and Elvis Posadas as the representative plaintiffs and will endeavor to include any individuals who worked at the plant in the past three years.
Allegedly, Creekstone Farms pays hourly meat processing employees "based on a principle of so-called gang time." The suit contends that workers are paid only for the time that their assigned production lines are running, along with 10 minutes a day to put on their protective clothing. Additionally, the suit also charges that the company failed to pay for overtime.
"The failure of an employer of food processing employees to pay the employees for all their compensable time is a common occurrence," said Mark Kistler, the Kansas City attorney representing the workers. "It seems the employers have an attitude of 'catch me if you can.'"
Source:
Workers file wage lawsuirt against Creekstone Farms, Business Week, April 7, 2011
