New Sonoma wine industry group denies workers’ claims of wildfire safety issues

The industry group’s formation adds a new level of intensity to the debate over farmworkers’ rights and the obligations of winery and vineyard owners. Though this debate is not new, it has been galvanized by the serial wildfires that have swept through Wine Country in recent years, which have raised questions over whether employers should require or ask their employees to work in evacuation zones or in areas where wildfire smoke may be prevalent.

The new coalition denied the mistreatment of workers during fire season, or otherwise. “What they are asking for is either already in place or already being addressed, and frankly, they are late to the program,” said Segale. He added that some of North Bay Jobs’ requests, like disaster insurance, are the responsibility of the government, not an employer. SonomaWise declined to disclose the names of its organizers but said that it is represented by grape growers, vineyard employees, wineries and members of the local hospitality, business and nonprofit industries.

SonomaWise also takes issue with some of North Bay Jobs’ five demands, namely vineyard access to community volunteers that would observe and report safety violations.

Segale alleged that North Bay Jobs activists lied about unsafe working conditions during past fire seasons and allegedly trespassed on private property last year when they distributed demands at wineries andpicketed a Simi Winery eventin Healdsburg.

Many vineyard workers began organizing last year, demanding changes to Sonoma County’s ag pass program. It provides businesses, including agricultural operations like vineyards and wineries, access to evacuation zones during wildfires in order to carry out critical tasks like harvesting wine grapes before smoke ruins them. It’s not formally regulated by any government body, and many other California counties, including Napa, have similar programs in place.

In Sonoma County, public safety officials determine if the area is safe for entry, but North Bay Jobs said many workers felt unsafe working within a few miles of the fires and smoke. Despite concerns, workers often enter evacuation zones, fearing they might lose their jobs if they refuse, according to North Bay Jobs.

The workers’ coalition is pushing for some form of disaster insurance, which would provide security for workers and allow them to opt out of working in evacuation zones. Similar tocrop insurance, where grape growers can recoup a percentage of losses if their grapes are destroyed in a fire, disaster insurance would cover wages for lost work during fires.

Segale countered that Sonoma vineyard employees are given extensive safety training and are never forced to enter an evacuation zone — nor would their employment be at risk if they declined. “These relationships are built on trust,” he said. “It’s not a situation where they feel threatened, or that they’re going to lose their job. It’s just simply not true.”

The Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation offers assistance to workers in a variety of situations, including wages lost during wildfire evacuations, Segale said. The foundation, whose board is largely composed of winery and vineyard owners, estimates that more than 6,000, or 90%, of Sonoma vineyard workers are employed full-time, which means workers typically receive benefits like free or subsidized housing, according to Segale.

Davida Sotelo Escobedo, communications and research coordinator at North Bay Jobs, challenged that number. She said the number of full-time employees is closer to 55%, pointing to a 2018 Bureau of Labor Statistics report which estimates the total number of workers in Sonoma’s wine industry at 11,000. “They refuse to recognize the 5,000seasonal workerswho work for farm labor contractors,” said Escobedo, “as well as the rapidly growing number of temporary visa workers, which now tops over 1,000.”

Segale stood by the foundation’s data, which he said showed there were fewer than 700 seasonal employees or day laborers, down from 2,600 in 2017.

One of the most controversial issues for SonomaWise is North Bay Jobs’ demand to let community volunteers access vineyards and report any safety violations to Cal/OSHA, which the coalition feels is too understaffed to do itself and hold growers to regulatory standards. Many growers and vineyard managers criticized this proposal, calling it a safety issue, and SonomaWise contends that it’s illegal. The group pointed to a series of federal laws and regulations enacted after 9/11, like the United States Patriot Act, which prohibit public access to private property at any time, said Segale, but especially during times of chaos, like fire.

北海湾乔布斯的努力增加的要求ag pass program before this coming fire season have been thwarted so far. In February, Sonoma County Fourth District Supervisor James Gore said the issue required more research. He opted to create a subcommittee to look further into the concerns rather than bring it to an immediate vote.

Nevertheless, North Bay Jobs is continuing to advocate for its causes. The coalition has organized an event onMonday,April 18, where vineyard workers will share their experiences of working during wildfires.

“This is really about adopting a clear and formal, county-wide evacuation policy that addresses farmworker concerns,” said Escobedo. “If some businesses feel that they already deliver the criteria in question, that’s great, and there should be no resistance in adopting those policies to make sure the whole community follows suit.”