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Uncle of girl who died from heatstroke is fired
By
LODI - The uncle of Maria Jimenez, the teenager who died May 16 of
heatstroke while pruning a vineyard near Farmington, was fired Wednesday
by the contractor who replaced Merced Farm Labor.
That was the same day his sister, Maria's mother, filed a wrongful-death
lawsuit against the vineyard company and the contractor in charge when
Maria Jimenez became ill. "I
knew this would happen," Doroteo Jimenez said.
Juan Chavez, the new contractor, fired Jimenez for missing a safety
meeting that took place Wednesday, Jimenez said.
According to Jimenez, he was given permission from Chavez to miss work.
Supervisors didn't inform him of the safety training, he said. Jimenez
accompanied lawyers to file the lawsuit and spoke at a news conference
that day.
Afterward, he returned to work. Jimenez said he was fired at the end of
his shift.
"Here we have a worker who is attempting to help his family deal with
the death of his teenage niece by being the family representative. ...
It seems too much of a coincidence this alleged training occurred the
same day as the (lawsuit) filing," Armando Elenes, a United Farm Workers
organizing director, said in a written statement.
Representatives from the grower and the contractor could not be reached
for comment Friday evening.
Dean Fryer, a spokesman for the state Labor Commission, said the firing
could be illegal if proven to be retaliation. California labor code
states an employee has a right to disclose and file a complaint about
working conditions to labor officials.
Fryer said if that can be proved, regardless of the worker's U.S.
residency status, state officials may take action. "We
would have to conduct our own investigation," Fryer said. "The employee
has to come forward to us and tell us he wants (an) investigation."
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