Migrant workers staged a protest at an Essex lumberyard on Friday morning, saying the business fired them for demanding higher wages...

Jimenez said he was one of 10 migrant workers the company hired through Rochester, N.Y.-based contractor Agri-Placement Services, which specializes in hiring workers for dairies.

Jimenez said he and other workers initially made $13 per hour, and after about a yearlong training period their pay was increased to $16 per hour. The owner promised higher wages at a future date, but workers haven’t had a wage increase in two years, Jimenez said. The workers tried to meet with Lamell to discuss wages and other issues several times, but he refused, Jimenez said...

The workers live for free in two company-owned single-family homes adjacent to the lumberyard. Monday morning, Lamell went to the homes, pounded on the door and told them if they didn’t get to work by 8 a.m., they’d be fired, Jimenez said.

When they declined, he told them they were fired and had to leave the house by Friday. A few days later, Jimenez said, the workers asked for their jobs back, but Lamell offered to rehire them at a lower salary of $14.50...

Salary wasn’t the only issue the workers raised. The company officials restrict workers from having guests in the homes, don’t respect their privacy and won’t allow workers to park their cars in the garages, Jimenez said...