OR Dairy workers win $70,000 settlement
Seventeen dairy workers at Columbia River Dairies, located at Threemile Canyon Farms in Boardman, OR have settled their legal claims for $70,000. However, workers caution that many problems continue unabated at the dairies and many remain concerned about future retaliation.
Their suit charged the dairy with minimum wage violations, unlawful payroll deductions, failure to pay wages due, and retaliatory action taken against plaintiffs for bringing forward their wage claims. As part of the settlement, the dairy also settled Daniel Sepulveda’s claim which resulted from a farm supervisor driving his truck over Daniel’s foot. Daniel was later wrongly discharged as a result of this incident.
“From the first day that these problems started, we’ve suffered through a countless number of abuses, to mention a couple; supervisors riding us, the restriction of communication between us workers and threats, “ said Juan Medina Diaz, a plaintiff
Julio Arturo Sepulveda, a plaintiff and dairy worker said; “We achieved this triumph over this company and shown to the public… the sin of enriching yourself by stealing our money and denying our rights.” He added; “Our morality and struggle doesn’t have a price, we’re going to continue until we have a union.”
“Here you have an industrial agriculture operation that has received $30 million from the State of Oregon and over $200,000 from the federal government, with workers being intimidated and threatened, not being paid minimum wage, working 12 to 13 hour days six days a week,” said Erik Nicholson, Pacific Northwest Regional Director of the United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO. “We’ve seen no accountability from either the State or federal government in ensure workers receive fair treatment and that their fundamental right to collectively bargain is respected,” added Nicholson.
In one of the more outrageous cases, Daniel Sepulveda, an outspoken union supporter and worker at the dairies, was fired last year following an incident where a farm supervisor drove over Daniel’s foot following a verbal disagreement. The supervisor failed to stop or offer any assistance to Daniel upon seeing that he had driven over his foot. Daniel sought medical attention and was released from work for several weeks following his injury. Upon being released to work, the company fired him, blaming him for the incident.
“Even thought the Farm won’t accept responsibility for this incident, this size of settlement clearly indicates the Farm recognized that they had liability for Daniel’s case and vindicates Daniel,” said Nicholson.
Medina Diaz added; “Nothing has ended. This is just part of our satifaction, as we need to continue being even more organized each day to fight for better conditions.”
Workers available for interview upon request. Contact Erik Nicholson at (206) 255-5774.
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