Court documents reveal Trump paid $1.375M in labor lawsuit

Donald Trump paid $1.375million in 1998 to settle a class action lawsuit involving Polish laborers who demolished a building at the site of Trump Tower

Donald Trump paid $1.375million in 1998 to settle a class action lawsuit involving Polish laborers who demolished a building at the site of Trump Tower, according to a settlement unsealed by a judge.

Manhattan federal Judge Loretta Preska unsealed the settlement this month in response to a motion filed in 2016 by Time Inc. and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, according to The New York Times.

Laborers had filed the lawsuit in 1983 over the demolition of the Bonwit Teller building, where more than 200 Polish immigrants in the US illegally worked 12-hour shifts starting in January 1980 for less than half of union wages and sometimes weren’t paid. 

The work included taking apart concrete floors and removing wiring and pipes. 

The laborers, who were paid as little as $4 per hour, performed those jobs without gear including gloves or masks.

When the workers did try to collect more money, Trump had his subordinates threaten them with deportation, according to the Times. 

Laborers filed the lawsuit in 1983 over the demolition of the Bonwit Teller building (seen above in June 1980), where more than 200 Polish immigrants in the US illegally worked 12-hour shifts starting in January 1980 for less than half of union wages and sometimes weren't paid

Laborers filed the lawsuit in 1983 over the demolition of the Bonwit Teller building (seen above in June 1980), where more than 200 Polish immigrants in the US illegally worked 12-hour shifts starting in January 1980 for less than half of union wages and sometimes weren’t paid

Trump was also accused of using undocumented workers in order to avoid paying into their pension funds.

The use of illegal immigrants for labor by Trump is noteworthy given that he ran a presidential campaign in which he vowed to crack down on undocumented migrants.

As president, Trump has introduced measures designed to curb illegal immigration.

‘We worked in horrid, terrible conditions,’ Wojciech Kozak told the Times. 

‘We were frightened illegal immigrants and did not know enough about our rights.’ 

Trump replaced the building, which was near Central Park and St. Patrick's Cathedral, with Trump Tower (seen above), his main residence before he became president

Trump replaced the building, which was near Central Park and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, with Trump Tower (seen above), his main residence before he became president

Trump replaced the building, which was near Central Park and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, with Trump Tower, his main residence before he became president.

Trump, a Republican who defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in the election last year, has said he had no knowledge of what the project contractor was doing. 

When the lawsuit went to court, he said he had hired a subcontractor and didn’t know about who was being employed and under what conditions.

The legal process dragged on for several years, with Trump appealing a judge’s decision and then deciding to settle. 

The settlement included $500,000 for a union benefits fund, along with lawyers’ fees and expenses. 

The settlement was sealed and the documents put away in storage until they were uncovered in 2016.

In her decision, Preska found that the public had a right to know about the settlement given the fact that Trump is now the president.

‘The Trump Parties have failed to identify any interests that can overcome the common law and First Amendment presumptions of access to the four documents at issue,’ the judge found.



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