ASSOCIATED PRESS

November 26, 2009

Attorneys say grower wrongly fired 50 farmworkers

Fresno, Calif. (AP) -- Farmworker advocates are accusing a grape grower of firing more than 50 farmworkers who sought higher pay after being paid less than the minimum wage.

The nonprofit California Rural Legal Assistance filed a complaint against H&R Gundlund Ranches Inc. on Monday with the state Agricultural Labor Relations Board.

Attorneys say some of the employees were paid less than $2.00 per hour for tying and pruning grapevines. The workers, most of whom were indigenous Mexican migrants, were fired Monday after they stopped work in protest.

The state board will review the charges and issue its decision at a later date. The Caruthers-based company could not immediately be reached for comment.