Human tracfficking suit against California's Bumble Bee Seafoods clears major hurdle toward trial

"This is a historic moment and an incredible victory for the fishers and the ocean, Sari Heidenreich, senior human rights advisor with Greenpeace USA, which is helping to represent the plaintiffs, said in a statement. We celebrate that the fishers will be allowed their day in court, recognizing this is monumental not only for these four men, who are brave enough to stand up to a giant U.S. corporation, but for hundreds of thousands of fishers globally."

"The four plaintiffs, all men from rural Indonesian villages, sued Bumble Bee in March in U.S. District Court in San Diego, alleging that they were subjected to severe physical abuse and debt bondage on long-line tuna boats that are part of Bumble Bee's trusted fleet. The lawsuit alleged that Bumble Bee had known for years that the fishing vessels in its supply fleet used forced labor but failed to stop the practice."

Four Indonesian mariners sued Bumble Bee Seafoods in U.S. District Court in San Diego alleging severe physical abuse and debt bondage aboard long-line tuna boats in the company’s supply fleet. The lawsuit asserts that Bumble Bee knew for years that vessels in its trusted fleet used forced labor but did not stop the practice. Bumble Bee asked the court to dismiss the case, arguing it could not have plausibly known about the abuse and that U.S. courts lack liability for injuries occurring overseas. The judge denied the motion to dismiss, allowing the claims to move forward toward trial.

Read at www.sandiegouniontribune.com