Giumarra Vineyards, the world's largest table grape company, harvests approximately 1 out of every 10 bunches of grapes picked in the US. Because the company is so huge, their behavior helps set the industry standard---which makes sense, right?
However, recent behavior by the grape company has been anything but right. After a female farm worker who works for the grape company was subjected to sexual harassment, fellow farm workers who witnessed the appalling incident came to the aid of the teenage victim and complained to Giumarra Vineyards. But instead of commending the workers for coming forward and punishing the culprit, the vineyard retaliated against these brave farm workers who came to her aid.
One day after reporting the incident, the victim and people who helped her were fired. The EEOC suit states they "were summarily discharged in retaliation for their opposition to the sexual harassment." (More details in the EEOC's press release.)
A young girl is sexually assaulted, and this is how an "industry standard"-setting company behaves? While we're glad the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed suit against Giumarra Vineyards for their disgusting, negligible disregard for the law (and the sacredness of a woman's body), this never should have happened in the first place.
What happened to this vulnerable young girl and the others who simply came to her defense was reprehensible and illegal. In the 21st century, workers have the right to speak up to protect themselves, their bodies, and others. We must give Giumarra a strong message that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated.
Please let Unified Grocers, a Forbes Fortune 1,000 company made up of over 3,000 independent retailers, know that as a purchaser of Giumarra's Nature's Partner produce, they have a responsibility to hold this company up to higher standards. Look what Giumarra employee Domingo Valderrama has to say about how his company treats farm workers:
Demand this company uphold the law.
Keep up with the Giumarra campaign at: http://action.ufw.org/giumarra
