Grape harvesters win $163k in unpaid wages

A contractor for a top Californian winery has been ordered to pay grape harvesters more than $163,000 after he failed to pay wages for three weeks during last year’s harvest.

A total of 59 migrant workers went unpaid by Manuel Quezada, of Orland, while working at the Roederer Estate during last year’s grape harvest in Mendocino County, where he has provided work crews for the past 10 years, according the US Department of Labor.

Investigators also cited Quezada for violations including not paying employees at least biweekly or semimonthly, not providing wage statements to workers and not disclosing employment conditions to workers.

Less than a week after learning of the investigation’s findings, Roederer agreed to sign an enhanced compliance agreement requiring more stringent reviews of its farm labor contractors’ practices.

“This case strikes a fair balance between rectifying Mr. Quezada’s violations and his and the winery’s willingness to step up to the plate to correct violations now and in the future,” said Susana Blanco, director of the department’s Wage and Hour Division in San Francisco.

“The workers will now get the money they rightfully earned for some very physical, tough work. The agreement we reached will also help workers be better informed of their basic labor rights.”

Roederer owns 660 acres primarily throughout Mendocino County’s Anderson Valley while its vineyards produce and ship products under the Roederer Estate, Anderson Valley, Scharffenberger Cellars and Domaine Anderson labels.

The payment will include $99,953 in back wages owed under the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act and $63,274 in back wages and damages due under the Fair Labor Standards Act.