http://business.bostonherald.com/businessNews/view.bg?articleid=188126
the Pentagon last month ordered $20 million worth of military backpacks from Michael Bianco Inc. Bianco’s New Bedford facility was raided last week by Homeland Security officials, who found “deplorable” working conditions and hundreds of illegal immigrants toiling at sewing machines.
That’s one of the reasons why Michael Bianco Inc. – which has received about $221 million in military contracts to make backpacks and vests for troops – could get away for so long with hiring hundreds of illegal aliens to work in terrible conditions while the firm kept getting new Pentagon business, said a spokesman for Unite HERE, a garment workers union.
The U.S. Attorney’s office said it began its probe into Bianco last May – and despite that probe the Pentagon still gave Bianco a $138 million contract just last August.
Sens. Edward M. Kennedy and John Kerry and U.S. Rep. Marty Meehan, all Massachusetts Democrats, said in a letter to the Pentagon last September that they were concerned about “overlooked and exploited” workers making uniforms for American troops.