Three California Poultry Processors Face Preliminary Injunction for Child Labor, Wage Violations
The U.S. Dept. of Labor (DOL) obtained a preliminary injunction against three poultry processing companies in California alleging violation of child labor laws, failure to pay overtime, threats and retaliation against workers, obstruction of a federal investigation and shipment of “hot” goods, according to a release from the DOL.
A DOL investigation found rampant child labor and wage violations at The Exclusive Poultry Inc., Valtierra Poultry LLC and Meza Poultry LLC — operated under a single enterprise in La Puente and City of Industry, Calif., by Tony Elvis Bran, Karen Rios, Juan Valtierra, Javier Meza and Jacqueline Garcia.
It was determined that the group directed employees under the age of 18 to use sharp knives to debone and cut poultry and employed children to work longer and at times not permitted by law, the DOL said. Additionally, it was found that minors were directed to work in prohibited facilities, and the group failed to pay overtime wages.
The employers allegedly interfered with the investigation by threatening and retaliating against employees who raised concerns with investigators. Poultry goods produced in violation of these laws thus became “hot” goods that the employers shipped illegally.
The court injunction forbids Bran, his companies and Rios, Valtierra, Meza and Garcia from violating child labor regulations, harassing and threatening labor investigators or employees, and taking retaliatory actions such as terminating employees or reducing their work hours.
The processors also are unable to ship any products processed in the last 30 days in the plants in which these violations occurred.
