5 killed Central Valley farm labor contractor fined $70,000 in penalties

[Omaha Steve]

Full story: http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=2666



SAN FRANCISCO
August 7, 2006 1:54pm

• Penalties follow deaths of five farm workers

• Also told to pay back wages

Bakersfield farm labor contractor fined

• Penalties follow deaths of five farm workers

• Also told to pay back wages

A Bakersfield-based farm labor contractor has been assessed $70,000 in penalties and $5,900 in back wages following a December 2005 traffic accident that killed five farm workers.

The workers were being transported to work near Mendota in Fresno County on Dec. 20 when the accident happened.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, which investigated the accident, contends that farm labor contractor Central Valley Contracting (CVC), owned by Santiago Martin Sr. of Bakersfield, violated provisions of the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act and owed back wages to 50 farm workers.

The alleged violations include the employment of unregistered farm labor contractor employees, using unauthorized farm labor contractor employees to transport farm workers, and transporting farm workers in eight vehicles without having the minimum required vehicle insurance, the department says.

[lindisfarne]

1. Do you know -- is the responsible party being charged with 5 counts of

vehicular manslaughter as well?

[Omaha Steve]

2. Nope

Five lives total $70,000 is pretty cheap.