ATTORNEY Richard Miller has asked the federal court to immediately rule on the Turkish construction workers’ request for an entry of default in their lawsuit against Imperial Pacific International.
Miller said on Dec. 22, 2020, the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. cut off power to the plaintiffs’ barracks.
“As of this afternoon, CUC power had not been restored,” Miller stated on Dec. 23, 2020 in his declaration to support the request to shorten the time for a hearing.
Moreover, the plaintiffs still have not received any back pay from IPI, Miller added.
Özcan Genç, Hasan Gökçe, and Süleyman Köş, represented by Miller, requested an entry of default after IPI failed to file a response or defend within the time permitted by court rules.
Miller said IPI was personally served with the summons and complaint on Nov. 23, 2020.
Genc, Gokce and Kos filed the complaint “on behalf of themselves and other similarly situated” H-2B workers who were recruited from Turkey in 2019. They are master plumbers, carpenters, electricians, construction workers and foremen.
The complainants said the workers were promised above minimum wage, substantial overtime pay, and round-trip tickets.
They said IPI also promised the Turkish workers that it would hire a cook who could prepare the kind of food suited for them.
In addition, the complaint alleged that IPI retaliated after the workers staged protest actions.
The plaintiffs are seeking a Fair Labor Standards Act certification of collective action from the federal court.
