A series of lawsuits by former employees, suppliers and a federal labor agency allege a shipbuilder with local operations owes nearly $450,000 in back pay and other bills.

The lawsuits are filed against Direct Marine Services, which has a corporate office in Houma and other operations in Fort Smith, Ark.

In one suit, the U.S. Labor Department claims the company owes 46 employees about $38,000 combined in back pay from operations in Houma and Fort Smith. The suit, which will be heard in federal court in Fort Smith, alleges Direct Marine violated the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

Another seven lawsuits filed in Houma by employees, architects and suppliers allege the shipbuilder owes them more than $400,000 combined.

The federal suit names as defendants three affiliated companies: Direct Workforce, Direct Marine Arkansas and Direct Marine Services, as well as company officers Raul Hurtado, Cornel Martin, Hope Martin, Lincoln Martin Jr., Jesus Saucedo, Julio Rivera, Sandra Hess and Pearl Young.

“We are hopeful of securing back wages for these employees,” said Elizabeth Todd, a regional spokeswoman for the Department of Labor.

Executives at Direct Marine did not respond to repeated requests for comment. A receptionist said executives were in a meeting and weren't available, and messages left in person at that office and for a lawyer listed in court papers were not returned.

The Labor Department is also asking that a judge forbid Direct Marine from shipping a barge under construction in Fort Smith until wages are paid.
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