GRETNA – Members of a fisherman’s union have filed a class action lawsuit against the organization and it director.
Ke Van Bach et. al. filed a class action lawsuit against Vietnamese American Commercial Fishermen’s Union and Calvin Cuong Nguyen in the 24th Judicial District Court.
Bach claims after the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000 was passed in order to compensate shrimpers and shrimp processors over the dumping practices of foreign producers the Vietnamese American Commercial Fishermen’s Union agreed to seek subsidy distributions in their behalf for a 5 percent fee. The plaintiffs assert that after entering into the agreement with the defendant they requested accounting for the services that were supposedly provided on numerous occasion, but were rebuffed. In addition, Bach alleges that Nguyen asked that each of the class members pledge personal property in order to receive the subsidy distributions when that was allegedly never part of the agreement.
Subsequently, the plaintiffs contend that the defendant have refused to release the monies owed to them.
The Vietnamese American Commercial Fishermen’s Union was sued by another group of members last year over the same issue.
The defendant is accused of breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, failing to properly represent the interests of the plaintiffs, failing to timely submit appropriate claims forms and failing to properly administer and handle funds.
The plaintiffs are seeking a full and complete accounting of all sums requested on their behalf by the defendants and the status of any and all disbursements.
The class is represented by attorney Connie P. Trieu of Gretna.
The case has been assigned to Division N Judge Stephen D. Enright Jr.
Case no. 737-996.
Fisherman’s union named in class action lawsuit by shrimpers for allegedly not releasing subsidy money
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