Photo-report from Hannaford HQ Delegation

On May 1st, farmworkers held a hugely successful one-day boycott of the Hannaford in Williston, VT that resulted in a double-digit drop in the store’s sales. Hundreds of customers made a choice to show their solidarity with farmworkers and not cross the picket line. Following this successful action, we reached out to Hannaford to request a meeting to discuss our invitation to join the Milk with Dignity Program.

Last Friday, after Hannaford failed to respond to the invitation, farmworkers decided to bring the message directly to Hannaford President Mike Vail at the company’s headquarters in Scarborough, Maine. With thousands of handwritten postcards from Hannaford customers in hand, a delegation of a dozen Vermont dairy workers and allies traveled to Scarborough and knocked on the company’s front doors

Instead of sitting down at the table with farmworkers, Hannaford refused to even receive the delegation. The company locked their doors and called the police. In a statement to the press released later that afternoon – and directly at odds with their own actions – Hannaford claimed that farmworkers rely on “confrontation and intimidation” when advocating for their basic human rights.

Following Hannaford’s less-than-warm welcome, Migrant Justice held a press conference outside the offices, sharing our message directly with Maine’s local NBC and CBS stations, as well as the state’s paper of record, the Portland Press Herald. Workers and allies – including Hannaford customers, faith leaders, and elected officials – shared the results of the recent Mayday picket, and the powerful message that Hannaford can either join the Milk with Dignity Program or continue to face repercussions from customers who are tired of the company’s false solutions to the human rights abuses happening in their supply chain.

See the full photo report below:

Farmworkers and allies walk towards Hannaford Supermarket’s corporate headquarters to deliver a message and call on the company to join the Milk with Dignity Program

Hannaford promises to send a representative to speak with the delegation, as we wait patiently at the entrance

A security guard confronts an ally while a Hannaford employee holds shut the already-locked doors

After being informed that the company will not send a representative to meet with the delegation – and instead has called the cops – farmworker leader Cristian Santos delivers a powerful message

The delegation leaves the building and gathers together to speak with the press on the scene

Former Maine state representative Thom Harnett expresses his support for the Milk with Dignity Program and shares his belief that all true victories for farmworker rights come from the leadership and hard work of the farmworkers themselves

Farmworker leader Emilio Morales concludes by sharing the results of the one-day boycott and promises that workers and allies will continue to push Hannaford to join MIlk with Dignity