California, San Francisco, United States, 2004
United States US
Trans Bay Steel Corporation (Napa County California) received a large sub-contract to provide services to retrofit the Bay Bridge and became the sponsoring employer for the workers. Trans Bay contracted with Kota Manpower Co., and Hi Cap Enterprises, Inc., to bring 48 skilled welders from Thailand using H-2B seasonal working visas to meet the needs of the project. While Kota and Hi-Cap brought over approximately 48 welders from Thailand, only nine of them went to work for Trans Bay. The remaining welders were brought to Los Angeles and Long Beach and forced to work without pay at Thai Restaurants owned by Kota Manpower and Hi-Cap; all 48 were not paid for their work. . Additionally, some workers were confined to cramped apartments without any electricity, water, or gas.