An additional few hundred Motiva plant workers have filed a lawsuit claiming that they were not properly paid for their travel time to the Port Arthur facility and that they were not paid for their time spent putting on equipment and attending safety meetings.
Kevin LaPaul Beck, on behalf of other workers, filed the lawsuit against A&L Industrial Services Inc., Aerotek Inc., Baker Concrete Construction Inc., Brand Energy and Infrastructure Services Inc., Brock Services Ltd., Cajun Constructors Inc., Car-Ber Testing Texas, Coastal Industrial Services Inc., Economy Insulation Co. Inc., Empire Scaffold, Insulations Inc., Integrated Electrical Services Inc., ISC Group Inc., Mason Construction Ltd., Orbital Industrial Insulation Corp., PCL Industrial Construction Co., Performance Contractors Inc., RMF Nooter, a subsidiary of Nooter Construction Co., S&B Engineers and Constructors Ltd., Teton Ltd., a PCL Co., Total Industrial Plant Services Inc., Tracer Industries Management Co. Inc. and Turner Industries Group.
The suit was filed on Nov. 20 in the Eastern District of Texas, Beaumont Division.
The employees performed work at the Motiva Port Arthur Crude Expansion Project and were required to report for work at a certain location to be transported to the facility. According to the lawsuit, the time spent in transit at the beginning and end of the work shift was approximately 30 to 90 minutes. The workers claim they were not compensated for this time.
In addition, the plaintiffs claim they were frequently required to undertake compensable activities prior to or after the pre-determined “work time” each day including putting on safety equipment and attend safety meetings. They were allegedly not compensated for this time.
The defendants are accused of violating the Fair Labor Standard Act, according to the suit.
More than 450 workers filed a similar suit in August against many of the same defendant companies.
The lawsuit is seeking an award of damages for wages not properly paid and an additional amount as liquidated damages, attorney’s fees, court costs and interest.
The plaintiffs are represented by John Werner of Reaud, Morgan & Quinn in Beaumont.
Case No. 1:12-cv-00556