CNMI Governor breaks silence over protests

2:06 pm on 19 April 2017

The Northern Marianas Governor's Office has broken its silence on the ongoing protests by construction workers of Imperial Pacific Resort, with Governor Ralph Torres joining the demand for the release of wages.

The governor of the Northern Marianas, Ralph Torres.

The governor of the Northern Marianas, Ralph Torres. Photo: CNMI Republican Facebook

Mr Torres said he was in contact with Imperial Pacific, the airline industry, and relevant stakeholders to remind them the practice of hiring illegal workers and not paying them was not permitted and hurts the economy.

Construction workers of Sino Great Wall also rallied last December.

Close to 80 construction workers of Gold Mantis, a contractor of Imperial Pacific, staged a protest rally a few days after MCC International labourers protested.

Like MCC workers, Gold Mantis employees said they wanted their wages from late February paid and return of their recruitment fees of up to $US10,000.

The workers also wanted to be paid the prevailing minimum wage of $6.55 an hour instead of the $5.44 an hour they're currently getting.

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