Rally Thursday in Seattle for workers at Darigold dairies

UPDATE (Jan. 16, 2014) — Can’t join today’s noontime rally to support workers at Darigold dairies? Join the Virtual Rally and sign the petition that will be delivered to Darigold management!

SEATTLE — On Thursday, January 16, dozens of farm workers, Farm to Family Coalition members, and supporters will hold a solidarity rally at Darigold’s corporate office in Seattle demanding that the company take immediate steps to remedy the abuses being reported at the dairies that supply Darigold’s milk. Dairy workers have been demanding that Darigold listen to their concerns since 2011, but the company refuses to meet with them or take any action to stop the ongoing abuse of workers.

A vast majority of workers signed union representation cards at one of Darigold’s supplier dairies, Ruby Ridge. Darigold closed the doors on Ruby Ridge dairy workers when the workers visited the Portland plant, and the company refused to meet with the workers when they visited the Seattle headquarters. Since then, workers have come forward from Darigold dairies across the Pacific Northwest describing conditions similar to those experienced at Ruby Ridge. These conditions include wage theft, unsanitary restrooms, lack of rest or lunch breaks, lack of water, and mistreatment, to mention a few.

Margarito Martinez summarizes the working conditions at Ruby Ridge Dairy, “We work 12 to 14 hours a day without lunch or rest breaks and without water.  On top of that they steal our wages.  We’ve been fighting for four years and nothing changes.”

TAKE A STAND — All union members and community supporters are urged to join in this solidarity rally starting at noon on Thursday, Jan. 16 outside Darigold’s headquarters, 1130 Rainier Ave. in Seattle.