Seven Sonoma County farmworkers will receive nearly $34,000 in back pay and job reinstatement after settling a labor complaint against Redwood Empire Vineyard Management. The workers alleged they were excluded from the 2024 harvest in retaliation for participating in a protest demanding better wages and conditions. The California Agricultural Labor Relations Board found the company manipulated hiring practices to punish the protestors. As part of the settlement, the company must also revise its employment policies and undergo training. Advocates called the resolution a major win in the ongoing fight for fair treatment in the wine industry.
See "Cut from harvest after protest, Sonoma County farmworkers win back pay and jobs", Susan Wood, North Bay Business Journal, May 29, 2025