State Dept refers Ind workers' complaint to appropriate US agencies

Washington, Apr 11 (UNI) The US State Department has referred to the 'appropriate' government agencies the complaint of the protesting Indian guest workers from a shipyard in Mississippi.

''While we are following this matter closely, the Department of State does not comment on specific visa cases, nor can we take a position in a legal dispute between an employer and an employee,'' the Department gave this information in written reply to a question.

It, however, said ''We have referred the workers' complaints to the appropriate government agencies.'' The Department made these observations when asked, 'Is the State Department involved with or assisting protesting workers from India who had come to work for a Mississippi-based firm, Signal International, on a 10-month work visa after allegedly paying 20,000 dollars to a contracted job recruiter?' 'Has there been any diplomatic communication on the matter?, was other question asked by them.' The workers had alleged that they were victims of human trafficking and poor living and working conditions.

Signal, their employer, had vehemently denied the 'baseless and unfounded' allegations against its Pascagoula and Texas shipyards where workers from India were hired.

UNI XC RJ KP1343