The Mexican nationals employed by Multi-Family Services (MFS) who are still living in housing provided by the landscaping company had been without water since Friday morning and were expecting the electricity to be cut off on Monday because the company had failed to pay for the utilities.
Most of the dozen or so workers, brought here via the United State's H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program, which allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary nonagricultural jobs, have dispersed, looking for employment elsewhere or going back to Mexico.
On Monday morning, however, four of the nationals remained, hoping that they could get the rest of their money from MFS and also find employment elsewhere. According to Jeremy Parrott, though, the electricity is paid through August 25, and he'd asked Trance Griggs, a manager for MFS, to pay the $124.47 water bill out of $600 that remained in the company's local Sabine State Bank account.
"No water," said Jose Ascencion, shrugging his shoulders as he stood in the doorway of the MFS office on Friday afternoon. The other three men had gone to the AT & T store to see if they could purchase a phone card. Garbage heaped up next to the doorsteps buzzed with flies and let off a rotten smell as thick and oppressive as the heat. A fan roared from inside the building, while small air conditioners hummed in some of the windows. Traffic zoomed past on the highway.
The building is equipped with a number of small bedrooms, some with air conditioning window units. A kitchen and presumably a bathroom serves everyone. Landscaping equipment, including several trucks, sit idle in the yard. Ascencion said that he'd been told that someone was watching the building to make sure the nationals didn't take the trucks. Of the four, only Ascencion can speak English, and that is halting.
Jeremy Parrott, part owner of MFS and who holds the paperwork for their visas, had given all of the nationals his blessing in their endeavors to seek employment elsewhere. Ascension said on Friday he and the other three had had an offer and were waiting on their new "boss" to show up. On Monday, he said their new employer had told them they had a job if they could find a place to live. Ascencion said he was hopeful they could stay put, but so far, calls to the landlord had remained unanswered.
Parrot also said that he had authorzed Picerne "to do everything they can to get the men paid as quickly as possible. As far as the H2B men are concerned, I will get the water turned back on and make sure the electricity is not interrupted."
According to Mark Williams, a spokesman for Picerne, the payment plans were being finalized on Friday afternoon.
"Former employees and vendors will be contacted personally and informed of the details as soon as they are in place, most likely early next week," said Williams.
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The Mexican nationals employed by Multi-Family Services (MFS) who are still living in housing provided by the landscaping company had been without water since Friday morning and were expecting the electricity to be cut off on Monday because the company had failed to pay for the utilities.
Most of the dozen or so workers, brought here via the United State's H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program, which allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary nonagricultural jobs, have dispersed, looking for employment elsewhere or going back to Mexico.
On Monday morning, however, four of the nationals remained, hoping that they could get the rest of their money from MFS and also find employment elsewhere. According to Jeremy Parrott, though, the electricity is paid through August 25, and he'd asked Trance Griggs, a manager for MFS, to pay the $124.47 water bill out of $600 that remained in the company's local Sabine State Bank account.
"No water," said Jose Ascencion, shrugging his shoulders as he stood in the doorway of the MFS office on Friday afternoon. The other three men had gone to the AT & T store to see if they could purchase a phone card. Garbage heaped up next to the doorsteps buzzed with flies and let off a rotten smell as thick and oppressive as the heat. A fan roared from inside the building, while small air conditioners hummed in some of the windows. Traffic zoomed past on the highway.
The building is equipped with a number of small bedrooms, some with air conditioning window units. A kitchen and presumably a bathroom serves everyone. Landscaping equipment, including several trucks, sit idle in the yard. Ascencion said that he'd been told that someone was watching the building to make sure the nationals didn't take the trucks. Of the four, only Ascencion can speak English, and that is halting.
Jeremy Parrott, part owner of MFS and who holds the paperwork for their visas, had given all of the nationals his blessing in their endeavors to seek employment elsewhere. Ascension said on Friday he and the other three had had an offer and were waiting on their new "boss" to show up. On Monday, he said their new employer had told them they had a job if they could find a place to live. Ascencion said he was hopeful they could stay put, but so far, calls to the landlord had remained unanswered.
Parrot also said that he had authorzed Picerne "to do everything they can to get the men paid as quickly as possible. As far as the H2B men are concerned, I will get the water turned back on and make sure the electricity is not interrupted."
According to Mark Williams, a spokesman for Picerne, the payment plans were being finalized on Friday afternoon.
"Former employees and vendors will be contacted personally and informed of the details as soon as they are in place, most likely early next week," said Williams.
