A lawsuit has been filed and is seeking class action status against the high end seafood retail and wholesale company alleging unpaid overtime to employees. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of immigrant employees who typically spend 11 hours working each day at warehouses in Brooklyn and Queens. The lawsuit claims those who tried to assert their rights were retaliated against or fired.
The class claims Wild Edibles owner Richard Martin fired four workers who joined a labor union and tried to convince their colleagues to do the same. The union, Industrial Workers of the World, represents some 2,000 members, who work in warehouses, agriculture, construction, and transportation. A new worker advocacy group, Brandworkers International, organized the campaign and legal action against Wild Edibles.