Trial date set in John Pickle Company lawsuit

A trial date is set for Indian workers claiming they were forced to live in slave like conditions. <br><br>The lawyers for both sides met at the Federal Courthouse in Tulsa Wednesday. News on Six reporter

Wednesday, November 20th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

A trial date is set for Indian workers claiming they were forced to live in slave like conditions.

The lawyers for both sides met at the Federal Courthouse in Tulsa Wednesday. News on Six reporter Patrina Adger says the trial is set for February 3rd.

Neither the Indian nationals nor John Pickle were in court Wednesday. But their lawyers met to discuss trial procedures. Lawyers for the workers say they want a fair trial and have at least 50 witnesses they want to put on the stand to give all the workers a chance to tell their story.

The workers say they came to Tulsa last year from India hoping for a better life. Instead, they say John Pickle treated them like slaves, paid them less than minimum wage and made them live in poor conditions. The prosecution says they have questions to whether the workers were employees or trainees because the word "training" is on their visas.

The workers are legal citizens but we are told they are not eligible to work in the country. The lawyers for both sides will meet again next Tuesday. Adger spoke with the John Pickle Company Wednesday. They told her they are in the process of closing up shop for good.