Oakland, Calif. (KCBS) -- More than 100 workers took their break time to attend a rally in front of the Fox Court housing project where they claim NBC General Contractors cheated some workers out of thousands of dollars.
“They are taking advantage of workers who speak mainly Cantonese, who do not know their rights, who do not know public law,” said Victor Uno, Business Manager for IBEW Local 595.
Most of the workers speak Cantonese and say they were unaware of their rights. They allege that the firm took advantage of their disposition and didn't follow the state's prevailing wage law and forced them to sign false timecards.
“So yes, there’s ways that contractors will abuse workers who are not members of the unions, who do not know their rights. But here today [at this rally], as you can see, coming streaming into here are all the construction workers who are union members—they are going to stand in solidarity with our NBC workers,” said Uno.
On July 17, the employees filed a class action lawsuit in Alameda County Superior Court accusing NBC General Contractors Corp. of ignoring state labor laws by paying them the minimum wage rather than a higher rate required for public works projects.
The suit is seeking millions of dollars in back pay.
Sharon Seidenstein, an attorney for the workers, said NBC only paid some workers $11 an hour or less even though they were supposed to be paid much more.
Seidenstein cited the case of Ricky Lau, the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit. She said Lau was paid $25 an hour but should have been paid more than $65 an hour.
NBC has not returned any of KCBS’ calls for comment.
(cfu)
KCBS' Bob Melrose reports
