LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) - Two people in California are suing some of the largest producers of pet foods over their alleged use of slave labor.
Plaintiffs Christina Wirth and Adam Wagner, on behalf of themselves and others who are similarly situated, filed a class action lawsuit on Sept. 19 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against Mars Inc., Mars Petcares US Inc., Iams Company and Proctor and Gamble, citing a violation of the California Consumer Protection Laws.
The plaintiffs argue the Defendants, working with Thai Union, use slave labor as a main work force.
The plaintiffs claim that the companies are aware that slave labor is unlawful, yet the use of forced labor is utilized when making Iams Pet food products, and the defendants willfully and knowingly deceived the public about their use of forced slave labor.
They believe the defendants have violated several human and consumer rights laws.
Wirth and Wagner, and others on their behalf, are seeking a jury by trial and suing for an award of monies for restitution for the defendants' alleged deceptive acts, court costs, an injunction to stop the unlawful practices, and other such rewards as deemed worthy by the jury.
The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys Elaine T. Byszewski, Christopher R. Pitoun, Steve W. Berman and Ashley A. Bede of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP in California and Washington.
U.S. District Court, Central California District Court case number 8:15-cv-01470-DOC-KES.