4 Indonesians sue San Diego-based Bumble Bee Foods for forced labor, abuse
SAN DIEGO (CNS) – Four Indonesian villagers who say they were subjected to physical abuse and forced labor while working as fishermen for San Diego-based Bumble Bee Foods sued the canned tuna company Wednesday in what is believed to be a first-of-its-kind forced labor case against an American seafood company. The complaint filed in San Diego federal court claims the men accepted jobs on fishing vessels within Bumble Bee’s supply chain after promises of good wages, only to endure violent abuse on a daily basis and requirements to work even after suffering serious injuries on the job. Three of the plaintiffs allege they were beaten or stabbed, or both, by the ship’s captain, while the fourth man claims he suffered serious, permanent burn injuries in an accident but was denied medical care nor allowed to leave the ship. The men were also not allowed to quit because doing so would mean they owed money to their employers, who imposed fees, deductions and penalties on their wages, the complaint alleges. Bumble Bee representatives said the company will not comment on pending litigation. Agnieszka Fryszman, one of