SANTA ROSA, Calif. – Redwood Empire Vineyard Management Inc. of Geyserville has agreed to pay seven farmworkers $33,548 in lost wages and offer them reinstatement to resolve an unfair labor practice complaint filed by the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board.

The complaint by the board, or ALRB, alleged that Redwood Empire Vineyard Management, or REVM, retaliated against workers by issuing written warnings and failing to rehire them because they engaged in protected activity, including a workers’ rights protest, worker marches and other activities together with the local organization North Bay Jobs with Justice.

Under the terms of the settlement agreement with the ALRB, REVM will also rescind language in their employment contracts they require employees to sign stating that those who tried to negotiate higher wages would be immediately fired.

The company additionally agreed to rescind warnings issued against two workers, and to respect the rights of farmworkers to join together and speak up to seek improvements to working conditions without retaliation.

As agreed, ALRB agents will go to REVM’s worksite to read a Notice to agricultural workers about their rights under the Agricultural Labor Relations Act, or ALRA.

This notice will be posted at the workplace for 60 days and mailed to current and former employees. ALRB Agents will also provide training to REVM supervisors about their responsibilities under the ALRA.

The ALRB enforces the Agricultural labor Relations Act, which states that “it is the policy of the State of California to encourage and protect the right of agricultural employees to full freedom of association, self-organization, and designation of representatives of their own choosing, to negotiate the terms and conditions of their employment, and to be free from the interference, restraint, or coercion of employers of labor, or their agents, in the designation of such representatives of in self-organization or in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection.”

The ALRB is headquartered in Sacramento and maintains field offices in Santa Rosa, Salinas, Oxnard, Visalia, and Indio.

Those wishing to access ALRB services may call any ALRB office including the Santa Rosa office at 707-527-3256, or a statewide toll-free phone number, (800) 449-3699. More information is available at www.alrb.ca.gov.