US suing banana company
Published:Wednesday | December 5, 2012 | 12:00 AM
SAN JUAN (AP):
The United States Department of Labour has filed a lawsuit against a banana company in Puerto Rico accusing its owners of paying workers less than the minimum wage.
The government accuses Bananera Fabre of paying workers US$6.25 and US$6.50 an hour instead of the required US$7.25. The lawsuit states that the owners, Jose Fabre Laboy and his son, Jose Fabre Santiago, owe workers more than US$191,000 in back wages.
The two men run a farm in the southwestern town of Sabana Grande that also produces tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables.
A department statement yesterday says the company previously violated the minimum wage law and recently paid more than US$38,000 in back wages and more than US$6,000 in penalties.
Company officials could not be immediately reached for comment.