Latino workers file discrimination lawsuit

*It’s hard to read this and not get your blood boiling. Not only were Mexican workers paid less than less experienced non-Mexicans, but the treatment is appalling – to spit on the floor and tell a Mexican worker to lick it up is outrageous. VL

By Marcos Ortiz, Good 4 Utah

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 Utah) – Jose Humberto didn’t like the idea that a younger and inexperienced worker was earning more than him.
Humberto had been working 9 years for SME Steel of West Jordan when he learned of the wage disparity.

“I was earning $10.50 an hour and a much younger worker with no experience doing the same job as me and was earning $13.65,” he said.

Humberto is among the 39-workers who have filed a lawsuit against SME Steel for discrimination.

“For them (SME) to treat people this way is unacceptable,” said Kass Harstad who is representing the workers.

In the lawsuit against SME Steel, Mexican workers claimed they were paid less than the white worker and never given bonuses. Among other allegations listed in the lawsuit were racial taunts from supervisors. The workers claimed offensive language like “mojados” (wetbacks), “F****** Mexicans and “F******monkeys was used by supervisors. The lawsuit claimed that in one instance a supervisor “spit on the floor,” telling the worker to “lick it up” and “signs with disparaging remarks towards (Mexican workers)” were posted in certain rooms.

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