Defunct garment firm told to pay its 8 TWA workers
Saipan Tribune, Micronesia
By Ferdie de la Torre
Reporter
The Department of Labor has ordered defunct garment manufacturer Grace International Inc. to pay the remaining wages of eight of its workers who have temporary work authorization permits.
Labor administrative hearing officer Herbert D. Soll said the eight workers-Qing Wei Miao, Li Yonghua, Wu Jiaoqing, Li Julin, Wu Zhangxia, Zhu Yinchuan, Gu Lianhua, and Zhang Liping-were hired on temporary work authorizations in the closing weeks of Grace International’s operations.
Soll said the eight workers are complainants in another case and their transfer rights will be determined in that case.
The hearing officer asked Grace International to be ready to provide repatriation tickets for any of the employees if required.
Soll said the parties in the case agreed that the workers should be paid up to April 25, 2005, unless their expiration came sooner.
During the July 6, 2014, Labor hearing, Grace International resident manager Ramon Crisostimo explained that the company records are now secured in federal litigation and he does not have access to the records of the eight former employees.
Soll said Labor’s Enforcement Section should determine which TWA, if any, of the eight employees expired before April 25, 2014.
The hearing officer said a list with the names of all eight workers with the TWA expiration date should be given to Crisostimo.
Soll said Crisostimo agreed that the company will pay the amount owed the workers.
Earlier, Labor also allowed eight alien employees of Grace International who have not been repatriated or transferred to seek new employers within 45 days.
Grace International Inc. shut down its garment factory in Susupe last April. Labor investigators did not find any Labor law violations committed by Grace International management in closing down the factory.
Grace International said the dramatic decline in garment manufacturing business and orders made it impossible for the company to continue its operations.
