Blogs

Immigrant leaders from Migrant Justice have returned to the Vermont State House for the start of the 2024 legislative session. This year, we are leading efforts to expand access to housing, healthcare, and higher education for immigrant families. Together, Vermonters can fight for legislation that protects immigrant rights in our state!

On January 12th, we kicked off the legislative session by joining a State House press conference and rally organized by the Vermont Workers Center and featuring a broad array of grassroots organizations. One of the speakers, Migrant Justice farmworker leader Cristian Santos, addressed the crowd:

“We are here today, united as Vermont’s working class, to demand access to dignified housing and quality education. Nobody should have to choose between following their dreams and feeding their families.”

Read more to learn about the bills that Migrant Justice is supporting!

With the support of thousands of people like you, immigrant farmworkers have spent the past year continuing to organize for human rights and economic justice – and in the process, we have transformed the state of Vermont, the dairy industry in the region, and the landscape of labor organizing around the country. We want to tell you the story of those successes through the headlines they generated throughout the year and invite you to support this work with a donation today.

Read more to get the full story!

We recently wrapped up a month of action picketing Hannaford Supermarkets. With pressure mounting on Hannaford, we are asking supporters to call the company headquarters and urge them to meet with farmworkers. Throughout the campaign, thousands of people have called the office of Hannaford President Mike Vail to show their solidarity. Today, October 18th, take a minute to make a call: tell Hannaford that you want Milk with Dignity!

Once you've called, "Read More" to get a recap from the month of action!

End of day update: nearly 300 calls to Hannaford!

On October 3rd, farmworkers and consumers picketed Hannaford Supermarkets for the fourth time in as many weeks, wrapping up a month of action demanding Milk with Dignity. The final action was the biggest and boldest of the month, with marchers passing by Hannaford’s security cordon to bring our demands directly to the store’s front door.

After a spirited picket – our chants resonating with the rhythm of dozens of homemade drums – marchers made their way towards the Hannaford store. As in past weeks, Hannaford’s managers and hired security guards moved to block the march. This week, however, the crowd passed them by, peacefully proceeding to the store’s front door. As managers barricaded the doors in a fruitless attempt to keep customers from hearing workers’ messages, dairy worker Hilario addressed the company.

Read more to get the full story and see the beautiful photos from the final picket of the Milk with Dignity Month of Action!

On September 22nd, farmworkers and consumers turned out in force to picket Hannaford Supermarket and demand Milk with Dignity. This was the second of four weekly pickets in the Milk with Dignity Month of Action.

The Milk with Dignity Month of Action will continue in the coming weeks, with pickets on 9/28 and 10/3 – the anniversary of the launch of the program in Ben & Jerry’s supply chain. Each picket starts at 5:30 pm at 935 Shelburne, Rd, South Burlington, VT.

Read more and check the photo-report

On September 13th, farmworkers and consumers turned out in force to picket Hannaford Supermarket and demand Milk with Dignity. This was the first of four weekly pickets in the Milk with Dignity Month of Action.

The Milk with Dignity Month of Action will continue all month, with pickets on 9/22, 9/28, and the grand finale on 10/3 – the anniversary of the launch of the program in Ben & Jerry’s supply chain. Each picket starts at 5:30pm at 935 Shelburne, Rd, South Burlington, VT

Read More to see the full photo-report!

On September 10th, a contingent of immigrant farmworkers marched in the annual Vermont Pride Parade. As is tradition, the Migrant Justice contingent marched with rainbow-painted butterflies; this year, we added home-made marching drums emblazoned with messages of solidarity.

Sunday’s Pride Parade kicked off the Milk with Dignity Month of Action, which will continue throughout September with a series of weekly pickets at 5:30pm in front of the Hannaford at 935 Shelburne Rd. in South Burlington, VT.

Read more to see the photos from the Pride Parade and Festival – and to get the details on the Month of Action!

Vermont Public recently published an explosive report on violence and abuse on dairy farms in Hannaford Supermarkets’ supply chain. The report interviews Miguel, a farmworker who was assaulted and then fired by his employer. 

Miguel was in the middle of a 12-hour overnight shift when he went outside the barn to speak with a volunteer from a local church selling food and medicine to the farmworkers. His employer approached Miguel, grabbed him, and shoved him back into the barn.

The police arrived on the scene following the incident, and the farm owner admitted to the assault and to yelling at Miguel to “get in the f––ing barn.” He then goes on to claim, without irony, that “we treat them so good” and that his is “one of the only farms around here that treat these guys excellent.”

Read More to get the full story and learn how to join the Month of Action!

The National Farm Worker Ministry has been organizing faith communities since 1920 to support farmworkers. They were a key pillar of solidarity in the United Farm Workers’ historic grape boycotts of the 1960s. Now the NFWM is throwing their support behind dairy workers’ fight for Milk with Dignity!

Now, the Ministry is holding their annual Board of Directors meeting at the Migrant Justice office in Vermont. Faith leaders from around the country are gathering to chart the future of the organization and build relationships with dairy workers organizing for human rights and economic justice. On July 28th, NFWM and Migrant Justice will join forces to picket Hannaford Supermarkets and call on the grocery chain to join the Milk with Dignity Program.

Come out to the picket line on 7/28 at 5:30pm in South Burlington to join farmworkers and faith leaders demanding Milk with Dignity!

Click “Read More” to get the full story and learn about another black mark on Hananford’s human rights record.

On June 24th, hundreds of farmworkers and allies from around the region converged in Portland, Maine for a mass march on Hannaford Supermarkets. Led by three bus-loads from Vermont, marchers traversed Hannaford’s hometown to bring a clear message that workers and consumers demand Milk with Dignity.

Dairy worker Emilio capped the march with a rousing speech in front of the final Hannaford store:

“On my farm we want to see better housing, better pay, vacations – things we don’t have now. We want to see improvements on these farms and that’s what we’re demanding from Hannaford. This march is a big step forward; the more who take action, the better. Because there is strength in numbers, strength in unity, and we are a community united. We know what we want and we’re here to fight for it.”

Read more to see the photo-report and read Hannaford’s response!