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Hispanic drywall workers file class action over illegal wage practices by local company.

Seattle, WA – On August 1, 2008, three workers filed a class action lawsuit against their former employer, Precision Drywall, Inc., alleging the company engaged “in a systematic scheme of wage and hour abuse against employees” in the State of Washington. The three plaintiffs seek to represent hundreds of other current and former Precision Drywall employees, the vast majority of whom are Hispanic. A Washington corporation, Precision Drywall is located in Auburn and does work throughout Puget Sound, including King, Snohomish, Pierce and Thurston counties.

The case illustrates many of the wage and hour abuses faced by the Hispanic labor force. According to the plaintiffs, they and their fellow employees:

• Were not paid by Precision Drywall for overtime hours worked.
• Were not paid by Precision Drywall for all of the piecework they completed.
• Were required to work long hours without proper rest and meal breaks.
• Were required to rebate a portion of their wages in cash to Precision Drywall.

Much of the work done by Precision Drywall is for local developer Quadrant Homes, a subsidiary of Weyerhaeuser. Hispanic employees working at Quadrant Homes developments have reported being worked seven days a week and late into the night to meet deadlines. Isaias Ramirez, one of the plaintiffs in the case against Precision Drywall, recalls: “I would tell my manager that the neighbors are placing signs in the windows complaining of the noise because their children are sleeping, but he’d just keep us working.”

Mr. Ramirez and the other plaintiffs allege that while Precision Drywall frequently required them and other employees to work over forty hours a week, the company did not give them overtime pay as required under the law. Furthermore, the plaintiffs allege Precision Drywall required them and other Hispanic employees to rebate a significant portion of their wages each paycheck, often more than $150 every two weeks.

“Hispanics suffer these wage and hour abuses because they do not understand the legal system, which is complicated enough without the addition of cultural and language barriers. This creates a vulnerable population. Unfortunately, some employers take advantage of this and require Hispanics to work under conditions that are in stark contrast to values we uphold as Washingtonians,” says Matthew Van Gieson of the Kent law firm of Hanis Irvine Prothero PLLC, who represents the plaintiffs along with the Seattle firm of Terrell Marshall & Daudt PLLC.

The case was filed in King County Superior Court. In their complaint, the plaintiffs seek to have Precision Drywall pay the class members for all of their work and to return the wages that were collected as rebates. The plaintiffs are also asking the court to impose penalties on Precision Drywall for its actions.

Employees with questions may contact attorney Matt Van Gieson toll-free at (877) 520-5252 for further information. Media representatives wishing a copy of the complaint may contact attorney Toby Marshall at (206) 816-6604.

Read the Seattle Post Intelligencer article.

Read the Seattle Times article.