It is reported that Evraz Rocky Mountain Steel is denying it didn't pay hundreds of workers in Pueblo all of the wages due them.

The company stated its position last week in response to a lawsuit filed in March in US District Court by more than 400 employees. An attorney for the workers estimated at that time the company owes most of the plant's workers a total of USD 6 million or more.

Evraz said in a court filing it denies that any of its policies or practices violates the Fair Labor Standards Act and denies it owes workers any additional pay. The lawsuit initially involved not being paid for the time when workers put on and take off referred to as donning and doffing personal protective equipment, time for personal cleaning and the time they walk between a locker room and their job sites. Additional allegations that the company unlawfully altered timecards and did not pay overtime when required have been added.

The lawsuit covers the past three years, as well as what the lawsuit contends is continuing violation of the act. A trial anticipated to last three weeks, tentatively has been set tentatively to begin December 3 2012.

Magistrate Judge Craig Shaffer agreed Friday with attorneys for both sides that it will take them until then to do the extensive and time-consuming work needed to get the case ready for a jury.

Shaffer set deadlines for various steps required to prepare the case for trial. Both sides said in a joint court filing they have engaged in extensive discussions about possibly settling the lawsuit. They said the prospects for settlement at the present time are low but may improve as the sides exchange potential evidence.

(Sourced from www.chieftain.com)