UNION TOWNSHIP - A Butler County company accused of hiring illegal immigrants and their children may lose a $35,000 tax abatement and faces a federal investigation for alleged violations of child labor laws.
Federal agents Wednesday arrested 129 workers at the Chesapeake Display and Packaging Co. and accused them of illegally working in this country. The raid was part of a crackdown on illegal immigrants from Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador.
Officials said 53 of the 129 are juveniles - including a 12-year-old and six 13-year-olds.
It's against federal law for anyone under age 16 to be employed in manufacturing or a processing workroom, said Don Harrison, assistant director of the federal Labor Department's wage and hour division.
"The law was enacted to put an end to sweatshop conditions," he said. "Those kids were working, and they were working eight-hour shifts like everybody else."
One day after the biggest raid of its kind in the Tristate, Butler County and Union Township officials said they may rescind the tax agreement given two years ago to Chesapeake.
"The whole idea of tax abatement is to provide jobs and a tax base for the citizens of Butler County," said County Commissioner Chuck Furmon. "Hiring illegal aliens is obviously defeating the purpose."
Added Township Administrator David Gully: "We don't want to be a partner with a company that employs child labor."
Officials of Chesapeake Corp. said their Tristate subsidiary had done nothing wrong. Employees arrested were hired by AccuStaff, a Florida company contracted to provide workers for the subsidiary, Chesapeake officials said.
In a news release from its Richmond, Va., headquarters, Chesapeake expressed outrage. "Chesapeake does not condone the employment of illegal aliens or children by anyone," said Thomas H. Johnson, CEO and president.
Officials of AccuStaff could not be reached for comment Thursday.
53 JUVENILES, 29 OTHERS IN RAID FREED
Previous stories
FEDS ARREST 117 WORKERS AS ILLEGALS August 7, 1997
LOWER PRICE HILL DRAWS IMMIGRANTS August 7, 1997
