OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- Three Nebraska meatpackers are headed to trials over how they pay their workers.
In separate lawsuits filed in U.S. District Court, Nebraska Beef Ltd. in Omaha, Greater Omaha Packing Co. and the Tyson Foods Inc. plant in Dakota City are accused of violating state and federal wage and labor laws for years.
The lawsuits says production workers are paid "only during the time that they are present on the actual production assembly line."
The workers are seeking pay for time before and after assembly line work -- time spent putting on uniforms and safety gear, sanitizing equipment, sharpening knives and other duties.
The companies say in court filings that workers were paid appropriately.
Separate trial dates have been set for next year.
