September 08, 2008

500 workers join law suit against US Steel

Nwitimes.com reported that more than 500 employees of US Steel have joined in a federal lawsuit alleging that it is not compensating them for time they spend preparing for work, which was filed by 15 people f in US District Court at Hammond in December alleging violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

As per report, so far, 534 people from Lake and Porter counties and Illinois are listed in the case and lawyers for the group are still awaiting a ruling on whether the case will become a full blown class action lawsuit.

Mr Aaron Maduff one of the Chicago lawyers representing the workers, said a person who was not paid for one hour of work every day for the past two years could be entitled to about USD 15,000 in overtime.

The lawsuit says the workers spend an hour or two every day putting on and removing protective gear, showering after their shifts, working through their lunch hours and taking transportation across the sprawling factory grounds.

Mr Maduff said "Our argument is, if you're donning protective clothing, you're doing that for work. If you are dealing with poisonous chemicals, your health requires you to take a shower."

In court filings, US Steel lawyers have said the lawsuit is invalid because the workers failed to file grievances alleging the denial of overtime pay, and because the workers' union contracts specifically say workers are not eligible for pay for the kind of activity described in the case.