More charges against Palatka area farm labor contractor

[Judi Lynn]

More charges against Palatka area farm labor contractor

Last modified: July 15. 2005 5:21PM

The Associated Press
EAST PALATKA, Fla. -- Federal authorities widened their case against a Florida farm labor contractor being investigated for possible indentured servitude by charging him with an environmental violation and filing drug charges against two associates.

Ronald Evans Sr., 57, was charged Thursday with making false statements to federal labor officials and violating the Clean Water Act for dumping raw sewage from his farm labor camp into a stream.
(snip)

Two associates of Evans, Eugene Sheppard, 55, and Irvin Sutton, 67, were charged Thursday with conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. Each could face up to a life prison sentence and a $4 million fine if convicted as charged.

Evans and his associates allegedly lured men from homeless shelters to his labor camp with promises of work, room and board. At the end of each day, the workers were offered crack cocaine, alcohol and cigarettes on "credit," and the expenses were deducted from their wages, federal documents allege. When the debts grew larger than their wages, the workers were told they would have to pay them off, according to a Department of Labor operation plan from the June 3 raid.
(snip/...)

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050715/APN/507151121

[rogue_bandit]

1. No breaks in Oregon

Oregon law requires a 10 minute paid break within every 4 hour period, plus a half hour unpaid lunch break for every 8 hours (a rough translation of the law).

There is a crew of 100 working in southern Oregon on a summer long project. The crew works 13 hour days. The crew is not allowed their 10 minute break. One worker who complained was told, "It's not how we do things."

So I called the Bureau of Oregon Labor and Industries after reseaching the law at their web site. I was told that the response to a complaint was to send a letter to the responsible party informing them of the law. If there were three letters of complaint then someone would investigate. They told me that they don't apply the fines ($1,000 per incident) if the employer changes their ways.

Apparently it doesn't matter who complains, it doesn't have to be a worker being abused, so I'm setting up three complaints from people not working there.

This is so frustrating to me. The State of Oregon won't fine them, won't send someone out immediately to investigate (by the way, it has been 100+ degrees here lately) and anonymous complaints are not acceptable.

This employer is making at least $700 to a thousand a day by failing to provide legally mandated breaks to 100 people...and the damn state considers it a nuisance.

And to top it off, even if the employer stops the practice the workeres won't be getting compensation for the lack of breaks (at least as far as I can determine now...I'll ask some lawyers about it).

Urggggggg!