About 30 non-unionized workers in the Fredericton area are asking the federal government to help them get more than two weeks worth of wages they say they're owed after their employer told them he had no money.

The crew had been hired by Bill MacDonald, a sub-contractor, to renovate military housing at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown for the past seven weeks.

Joe Mortimer, the site superintendent, said when payday arrived last Friday, he was told there was no money but something could be worked out by Wednesday of this week.

With those assurances, Mortimer said the crew agreed to stay on and continue working.

But Mortimer said on Wednesday, they were out of a job and they still hadn't been paid.

"We worked Monday and Tuesday this week waiting for another answer, and this morning we were told the site was being shut down," he said.

Mortimer said the workers are owed more than $30,000 for work they've done.

The crew has filed an official complaint with the federal Department of Labour, since the work on CFB Gagetown was commissioned by the Department of National Defence.

CBC News tried to reach the sub-contractor, Bill MacDonald, but calls were not returned.

Looking for help

The workers were hoping the general contractor, Multicon Property Services, could step in and help them out with getting their wages.

Paul Dayton, the president of Multicon Property Services, said he's paid the sub-contractor all he's owed.

So, he said, where that money went is now is between the sub-contractor and the workers he hired.

"I had a meeting with Bill MacDonald in which he advised me he was short funds and needed an additional $30,000 to pay his men," Dayton said.

"Unfortunately, he doesn't have any additional work completed, so we cannot release funds for work that's not been done."