Jose Cardenas and six other farm workers trusted Monsanto's promises when they moved from Texas to work in the company's corn seed operation in Indiana. They were supposed to receive $80 per acre of corn they detasseled and decent, free housing.
What they actually got was damaging pesticide exposure, less pay than minimum wage, and a $300 bill for substandard housing. According to a recent article in CourthouseNews.com, workers were lodged in motel rooms and told they could cook their meals in an old school bus that was outfitted with only four stoves for seven families. Adding to their financial injuries, at least two workers believe they were poisoned by agricultural pesticides.
Clearly, these men were lured from their homes in Texas under false pretenses. Now they are challenging Monsanto in court. Tell Monsanto to pay these workers what they were promised!
We the undersigned think you should keep your promises to your workers.
News sources report that seven men in your employ were recruited from Texas to work in a corn detasseling operation in Indiana. They were promised $80 per destasseled acre and free housing. Instead, they found themselves earning wages less than those of minimum wage. And you presented them with a bill for substandard housing.
Pay these workers what you promised and what you clearly owe them!
