Migrant Justice Justicia Migrante

“When I saw them coming at me, I felt scared. But when I looked around I lost my fear. I knew I wasn’t alone.”

Saturday morning, farmworker José Ramos marched down a back road in Addison County at the head of 50 fellow workers, neighbors, students and faith leaders. When the crowd arrived at the notorious Goodrich Farm -- long known among workers as a farm that rips off and mistreats workers -- the owners came charging at the marchers, pushing people and shouting obscenities.

For José, the scene was a flashback. Earlier in the week, he had gone to Goodrich Farm, his former employer, to collect his final paycheck.  Accompanied by a Migrant Justice organizer, José found his former boss in the barn and asked for the $600 he is owed. In response, she forcefully shoved him out of the barn and slammed the door in his face. A supervisor also assaulted the Migrant Justice organizer. The farm owner screamed at the two to leave, threatening to call the police. Terrified, José ran from the farm. As he drove off, he was followed by one of the farmers.

On Saturday, José felt the same fear rising in him again as the bosses came rushing toward him. But this time, something was different. His community had his back. José climbed on to the bed of a pickup, looked out on the crowd, and addressed the farm owners.

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In December we shared the news of the Border Patrol detention of farmworker Luis Ulloa, known to friends as Chiri. He was turned over to immigration agents after being detained by the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Department while a passenger in a car pulled over for speeding.

Following this unjust detention, Chiri’s community sprang to his defense, rallying in front of the Sheriff’s Department offices to demand #JusticeForChiri. Many of you called or wrote to the sheriff decrying this abuse of power and demanding accountability for this clear violation of the department’s own “Fair and Impartial Policing” policy.

We are sad to report that due of the actions of the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Department, Chiri has been deported to Mexico, separated from his family, friends and community in Vermont. Chiri has been deported, but he is still fighting to defend his rights and to ensure that what happened to him will not happen to anyone else. Yesterday he filed a discrimination complaint with the Vermont Human Rights Commission. The state agency will investigate the claim and make a ruling on whether or not the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Department violated Vermont law in its treatment of Chiri.

In the final act of his life, Martin Luther King, Jr. traveled to Memphis to support striking Black sanitation workers. Bolstering workers’ demands for a fair wage and dignified treatment, King delivered his “All Labor Has Dignity” speech, affirming: “Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity, and it has worth. One day our society must come to see this.”

Today on Martin Luther King Day, inspired by the legacy of MLK and the Black freedom struggle, farmworkers are announcing the Dignity Tour. In mid-March, Migrant Justice will hit the road for a two-week speaking tour, presenting to audiences throughout the northeast to build support for the Milk with Dignity campaign.

We are continuing to call on Hannaford supermarkets to recognize the dignity and humanity of the dairy workers behind Hannaford brand milk. Earlier this month, farmworkers sent Hannaford CEO Mike Vail a letter with 3,500 signatures urging the company to listen to workers’ demands.

January 15, 2020, Montpelier, VT — Human rights organization Migrant Justice and the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles have reached a settlement in a federal anti-discrimination lawsuit. The Vermont-based farmworker group, accompanied by its legal team, announced the settlement Wednesday in a press conference in the state’s capital.

“With this settlement, the state of Vermont makes good on its promise to guarantee access to driver’s licenses without discrimination,” said Migrant Justice leader and suit plaintiff Enrique Balcazar. “Though justice delayed is justice denied for the many whose lives have been ruined by the DMV’s harmful collaboration with ICE, we firmly believe that this settlement will put an end to that abuse of power going forward. Vermont’s immigrant community can now safely exercise this hard-fought right.”

Read more for the full press release!

As the holidays approach, dairy workers are asking Hannaford Supermarkets to take responsibility and ensure fair and safe conditions for farmworkers. And we need you to demand the same: Hannaford brand milk must be free from human rights abuses!

Farmworkers like Don Gero are demanding safety and protection. And Hannaford can provide it by joining the Milk with Dignity program!

Hannaford continues to shirk their responsibility, and we are gearing up for a long campaign. Soon we will be announcing some big actions in the spring, but in the meantime, farmworkers need you to take action on your own!

1. Send an email to Hannaford CEO Mike Vail urging the company to join Milk with Dignity

2. Read through our Action Toolkit for more information on the campaign

3. Print out this flyer and give it to a manager or customer service representative the next time you shop at Hannaford

4. Ask Hannaford customers to fill out these postcards (let us know at info@migrantjustice.net if you’re interested and we’ll follow-up with more information)!

5. If you’re part of an organization, use this guide to write an endorsement letter for the campaign!

Together we can keep the pressure on Hannaford to join Milk with Dignity!

This past weekend’s coordinated actions at Hannaford supermarkets sent a clear message to the company: consumers demand Milk with Dignity!

At 22 stores across New England, hundreds of farmworkers and allies rallied in front of Hannafords and delivered letters to store managers. From Machias, ME to Middleborough, MA, in large cities and small towns, Milk with Dignity supporters made their voices heard — and Hannaford listened.

Now is the time to send your own message that Hannaford needs to do the right thing: take a minute to send an email to the company CEO!

Migrant Justice is calling for a Milk with Dignity Day of Action at Hannaford supermarkets across the northeast for Saturday, November 2nd! Farmworkers and allies will descend on Hannafords to tell the supermarket giant that it’s time to take responsibility for the human rights of farmworkers. Over twenty actions are already planned for 11/2! Sign up to join an action or organize one at a Hannaford near you!

National religious groups are endorsing Milk with Dignity -- and turning up the heat on Hannaford supermarkets to join the human rights program!

Following the recent farmworker-led march on Hannaford, three faith organizations wrote to the supermarket chain’s CEO urging him to sign on to Milk with Dignity.  The Presbyterian Church USA (with 2 million members), T’Ruah (an organization of 2,000 rabbis and cantors), and the National Council of Churches (the country’s largest ecumenical body, comprising 45 million churchgoers in 100,000 congregations) are all throwing down for Milk with Dignity.

Add your name!  Take a moment to send an email to Hannaford’s CEO telling him it’s time to join Milk with Dignity.

On October 3rd, over 150 farmworkers, farmers, and consumers joined together to call on Hannaford supermarkets to join the Milk with Dignity program.  Marking the second year anniversary of Ben & Jerry’s entrance into the human rights program, the event celebrated the progress made under Milk with Dignity and called on Hannaford to aid in the program’s expansion. 

Rosi, a dairy worker from central Vermont, invited Hannaford to join the program: “Hannaford has the power to transform the dairy industry.  With almost 200 stores around the northeast, they buy a lot of milk from farms where we are working hard milking cows. Hannaford has an opportunity to be a human rights champion by joining Milk with Dignity."