The U.S. Department of Labor ordered the owners of two mushroom farms in Northern California, where a tragic shooting incident claimed seven lives last year, to pay more than $450,000 in back wages and damages to 62 workers. On Monday, the U.S. Department of Labor issued this announcement.
California Terra Gardens and Concord Farms, situated in Half Moon Bay, have also incurred $70,000 in civil penalties. The penalties are for illegally deducting money from workers’ paychecks in exchange for substandard housing conditions. The workers were reportedly housed in cramped and unsanitary conditions, including cargo containers, garages, dilapidated trailers, and a mouldy greenhouse infested with insects and surrounded by trash.
The settlement follows the shooting incident on January 23, 2023, in which Chunli Zhao, a former worker at California Terra Gardens and Concord Farms, killed seven people. Authorities have charged Zhao with seven counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, to which he has pleaded not guilty. Authorities stated that Zhao first opened fire at California Terra Gardens, killing four co-workers and wounding another, before driving approximately two miles to Concord Farms, where he shot and killed three workers. Concord Farms fired Zhao in 2015.
Federal investigators revealed disturbing details about the living conditions of the workers at both farms. Thirty-nine workers at California Terra Gardens lived in deplorable conditions, with filthy mattresses in cramped cargo containers and garages. Concord Farms housed workers in mouldy, makeshift rooms within a greenhouse teeming with insects.
“Our investigators found workers at California Terra Gardens and Concord Farms housed in sickening conditions, forced to sleep near garbage and with insects all around,” said Alberto Raymond, Assistant District Director of the Wage and Hour Division in San Francisco.
Xianmin Guan and Liming Zhu, the owners of California Terra Gardens, and Grace Tung, the owner of Concord Farms, have not responded to requests for comment from The Associated Press as of Monday.
This case highlights significant labour violations and underscores the need for better enforcement of housing and wage standards for farm workers. It also brings attention to the precarious conditions faced by many agricultural workers in the United States, who often work in remote locations and live in employer-provided housing.
The Department of Labour’s action serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting workers’ rights and ensuring safe and humane living and working conditions. The tragic events at these farms have shed light on broader systemic issues within the agricultural sector, calling for heightened scrutiny and reform.
As the legal proceedings continue, the affected workers will receive compensation for their unjust treatment, and the enforcement actions against the farm owners will hopefully lead to improved conditions and respect for labour standards in the industry.
