Immigrant workers file charge against employer

A Brentwood temp agency is under investigation after immigrant workers filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board yesterday.

Jacob Horwitz is an activist with Alliance of Guestworkers for Dignity. He filed the charge against the Cumberland Environmental Resources Company on behalf of nine workers who came to the US on work visas.

“What happened was they brought workers in from Peru, Bolivia, Costa Rica and El Salvador and the jobs they claimed to the federal government and to the workers didn’t actually exist.”

Workers attempted to approach the company with their concerns. The charge claims Cumberland tried to intimidate them and interfere with efforts to organize.

Cumberland owner Gary Lang says no intimidation was used. He says the company tried to find jobs, but ultimately had to let workers go.

“And there’s other work in this area; we’ve heard the same story, and it’s the same story that you’re going to get across the nation — just funds have been frozen on contracting work.”

Lang says that Cumberland paid the workers’ living expenses while looking for jobs.

The National Labor Relations Board investigates labor violations made by workers against employers. The Board expects the results of the investigation by April.