Workers sue berry company, allege threats, poor working conditions
A class action lawsuit has been filed against Sumas, Wash.-based Sarbanand Farms after workers alleged threats and poor working conditions.
The parent company of Sarbanand Farms is Delano, Calif.-based Munger Farms, which markets fruit under the Naturipe Farms brand.
Among the contentions of the lawsuit is that Sarbanand fired dozens of H-2A employees after they went on strike following the severe illness of a coworker who later died.
An investigation by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries concluded the death was not work-related, according to a news release the department issued Feb. 1.
The lawsuit also alleged that employees were not fed well enough and that supervisors threatened workers with termination if they did not meet certain quotas.
Munger Farms and Sarbanand Farms issued a statement Jan. 25 that they have been “unjustly charged” and that they plan to “vigorously fight the allegations in the complaint, which will be shown to be untrue and without merit.”
The companies stated that their facilities are modern and that employees are treated well and paid well.
While the investigation by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries found no workplace safety or health violations, the organization said Sarbanand would face nearly $150,000 in fines because of late or missed breaks and meal times for hundreds of workers.
“These violations are serious,” Elizabeth Smith, assistant director of the fraud prevention and labor standards division, said in the release. “It’s physical labor, and they often work long hours outside in the elements. They need regular breaks, and they’re required by law to get them.”
The penalty is the largest the department has ever assessed for such violations, per the release. The fine from that organization is $73,000, and the Whatcom County District Court may assess up to $76,650 more.
Munger and Sarbanand may request a court hearing to further review the findings, but next steps have not yet been determined, the companies said in a statement Feb. 1.
