LODI -- The uncle of María Jiménez, the teen who died of a heat stroke she endured while pruning a West Coast Grape Farming vineyard, was fired from working in the company's vineyards Wednesday. It was the same day his sister, María's mother, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the vineyard company and the contractor in charge when María became ill.
"I knew this would happen," said Doroteo Jiménez. Juan Chávez, the new contractor, fired Jiménez for missing a safety meeting that took place Wednesday, Jiménez said.
According to Jiménez, he was given permission from Chavez to miss work Wednesday. Supervisors didn't inform him of the safety training, he said. Jiménez accompanied lawyers to file the lawsuit and spoke at a media conference that day.
Afterward, he returned to work. Jimenez said he was fired at the end of his shift.
"Here we have a worker who is attempting to help his family deal with the death of his teenage niece by being the family representative ... it seems too much of a coincidence this alleged training occurred the same day as the (lawsuit) filing," said Armando Elenes, a United Farm Workers organizing director, in a written statement released last Friday.
Representatives from the grower and the contractor could not be reached for comment last Friday.
Dean Fryer, a spokesman for the state Labor Commission, said the firing could be illegal if proven to be retaliation. California labor code states an employee has a right to disclose and file a complaint about working conditions to labor officials.
Fryer said if that can be proven, regardless of the worker's U.S. residency status, state officials may take action.
"We would have to conduct our own investation," Fryer said. "The employee has to come forward to us and tell us he wants investigation."