BOSTON (AP) — More than 150 residents, elected officials and religious leaders in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood have bid farewell to workers headed to the Republican National Convention in Florida to protest against poor working conditions at companies owned by a firm founded by presidential hopeful Mitt Romney.

Those traveling to Tampa, Fla., include current and former workers at companies currently or previously owned by Bain Capital, a Boston-based private equity firm that bought and restructured companies.

Bain made Romney fabulously wealthy. He has a net worth estimated at $250 million.

Boston-area workers on Saturday claimed they saw their pay and benefits cut, hours reduced and being forced to work off-the clock. Simara Martinez said conditions were "like modern-day slavery."

In Tampa, they will join hundreds of other protesting Bain workers from around the country.

Romney's campaign did not immediately comment.