State moves to revoke labor contractor’s license

ATWATER
June 4, 2008 10:16am

The farm labor contractor’s license held by Merced Farm Labor of Atwater may be revoked by the California State Labor Commissioner’s office.

Merced Farm Labor employed a 17-year-old who died of apparent heat illness last month while working in a vineyard near Stockton. The young woman, Maria Isabel Vasquez Jimenez, was two months pregnant, investigators said.

Proceedings to revoke the contractor license for Maria De Los Angeles Colunga, operator of Merced Farm Labor, are based on allegations that the company failed to correct previous worker safety violations and provided false information on the license application.

“Employers or labor contractors who do not comply with the heat illness prevention standards will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. My administration will rigorously enforce the heat regulations I signed into law in 2005,” says Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The company has a different perspective.

“It is evident that the tragic and untimely death of Ms. Vasquez Jimenez resulted from a unique and unforeseeable set of circumstances,” says Merced Farm Labor attorney Jim Gumberg in a written statement.

“It is unfortunate indeed that there are those who would seize upon this tragedy for political gain”, says Mr. Gumberg, “especially without knowing all the facts.” “We are very confident that once the truth surfaces, it will become clear that Merced Farm Labor will be completely exonerated of any fault or wrongdoing in this tragic situation.”

In addition to initiating the license revocation process, the State Labor Commissioner’s office, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) and the Economic and Employment Enforcement Coalition are working with the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s office on the ongoing criminal and civil investigations, according to the governor’s office.

Additional allegations may be added when criminal and civil investigations surrounding the recent death of Ms. Jimenez have been completed, the governor’s office says.