Background

International Manpower Systems (IMS) and Tourism Company 12 are two agencies in Vietnam that specialize in export labor. 

The workers had paid either of these agencies $4000 to $8000 for an employment contract.

The contract stipulated that the workers shall receive lodgings and three meals a day in addition to monthly stipends of $390 (IMS contract) and $408 (Tourism Company 12) minus taxes to,

1. The government of Vietnam (12%)
2. Samoan property taxes (2%)
3. US FICA (7.65%)

 Upon arrival, workers are required to pay additional fees. (Note: these fees are in violation of U.S. Laws)

1. US$1000 for residency permission 
2. US$2000 for sponsorship fee -- US$500 up front and US$1500 deducted in equal installment for 10 months. 
3. Monthly adminstrative fee of $5

They are further informed that they will only be paid $100 for the first three months.

Living Condition

Workers are housed in barracks inside a fenced compound. 
Their movement is restricted and meals are meager.
The women were watched while taking showers

Early February 1999. 

Vietnamese workers arrive in Samoa at Daewoosa

March 27

After almost 8 weeks of working without pay, Kim Dung T. Vu, and three other courageous women organized a work stoppage to protest treatment and demand wages. 

March 27-28 

For a day and a half, food was withheld as punishment. The  organizing women went out to beg for food on the street.

March 30

Beatings of  the women were observed in public [Source: pending permission]

March 31

Kim Dung fled the compound to a local Christian shelter. She informed of treatment of workers to newspaper in Vietnam, the Vietnamese Embassy, and IMS.

Late Mar - Apr.

Daewoosa Samoa fired the four women they now labeled "troublemakers", and requested deportation of an additional 46 women. Three of the four organizers were put in jailed for deportation, They were deported, but turned back to American Samoa by Western Samoa immigration. Barry Rose, a local attorney,  intervened on behalf of the women.

May - Aug 1999

Dept of Labor investigates. Late May.
Dept. of Labor placed embargo on Daewoosa product. June 28
Daewoosa fined $24,140 and ordered to pay for $151,500 in back wages

August 2, 1999

A consent judgment agreement was signed by DOL investigators, Kil-Soo Lee, Daewoosa's legal counsel, and Samoa Assistant Attorney General in which Daewoosa admitted to alleged violations, promised to cease and desist from continuation and to reimburse monies due its employees. (This document was not made public until a Jan 2000 court hearing)

Jan 28, 2000

Mr. Chianti Kim took over management of Daewoosa for two months and assumed Daewoosa's payment of back wages. 

May 1, 2000

Individual civil suits against Daewoosa by Chinese and Vietnamese workers are consolidated into a class-action suit for non-payment

June 22, 2000

Dept of Labor fined Daewoosa $213,000 and ordered Daewoosa to pay back workers $367,000 in wages.

August 2000

Kim Dung passed away in American Samoa

Nov 24, 2000

  Some workers get paid for pay period of Aug 7, 2000 to  Oct 2, 2000. There were three payment categories. $151, $41, and $38

November 28, 2000

Owner Lee is said to have directed Samoan floor supervisors to "beat up"  Vietnamese workers
Eleven workers injured. One (Ms. Quyen) lost an eye.

Nov 29

Mai Hoang, vice-director of Tourism Company 12 arrives. Nov 29

 Nov 30

Department of Labour OSHA and Wage & Hour division officials arrived
Quyen released from hospital.
Frightented workers want to go home. 

Dec 4 and 7

 Hearing on  Daewoosa to pay for airline tickets

December 11

Dept of Labor declared embargo on Daewoosa products.

Jan 18 and Jan 19, 2001

Class action suit against Daewoosa scheduled to begin.