NINE months after their filing, the labor complaints of over 100 L&T International garment workers have not been resolved.
Attorney Mark Hanson, who represents approximately 40 garment workers, said Tan Holdings, the parent company of L&T, was fighting the “discovery issues,” causing a delay in the proceedings at the Department of Labor and Immigration.
“Tan Holdings is fighting the discovery issues. When you fight the discovery issues it takes a long time,” Hanson told the Variety.
“The Hearing Office ordered Tan Holdings to produce documents regarding the deductions that they had, including housing. (Tan Holdings’ lawyers) moved for a protective order which was granted in part by the hearing officer (regarding) some documents. But they were ordered to produce the other documents,” he added.
Last June 21, 2001, Hanson filed a request for production of certain documents in the possession of Trans-Asia Garment Forte Corp., Global Manufacturing, Inc., and Concorde Garment—all are under L&T.
The hearing officer ordered an amendment to the original complaints to include illegal deductions. The respondents filed a motion to stay the discovery requested by the workers.
But the hearing officer denied the motion, saying that it would delay the resolution of the case.
The respondents filed an appeal. Hearing Officer Vicente C. Seman affirmed the denial of L&T’s petition to stay the discovery order, saying it is a non-appealable interlocutory order and that the appeal was untimely.
Hanson said Tan Holdings appealed the initial decision and the protective order in the Superior Court.
However, he said they would move to dismiss the case at the court because “it has no jurisdiction yet” over the matter.
“Now, it’s in the Superior Court. It is our position that the Superior Court doesn’t have any jurisdiction over the matter yet because it is not the final order of the hearing office,” Hanson said.
Colin Thompson, Tan Holdings’ counsel, declined to comment.
Thompson said he prefers to see Hanson’s formal petition for dismissal before he issues a statement.
Over 100 workers accused L&T of numerous labor abuses in June 2001. But the firm claimed the cases were frivolous and had no basis.
In the early 1990s, L&T agreed to settle for $9 million the labor cases of 1,350 workers at a cost of $9 million. It was the biggest settlement in U.S. Labor Department history.
