Dozens of workers at a Wisconsin dairy facility have been on strike for a week after new ownership changed internal policy in a way that workers say will put immigrants out of work.
The Kansas-based Dairy Farmers of America cooperative acquired W&W Dairy in Monroe on Aug. 1. As part of that transition, the company last month implemented E-Verify, an online system that checks an employee’s immigration status, among other official information, according to federal records.
Last week, 43 W&W workers walked out, saying the new company policy effectively forces out some workers and that they are entitled to severance pay after years or decades of employment.
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At a rally in front of the facility Tuesday, organizers from labor unions and the Milwaukee-based immigrant rights group Voces de la Frontera argued the workers are entitled to compensation for their years of service.
Luis Velazquez, an organizer with Voces de la Frontera, read a letter from one of the striking workers, most of whom would not give their names out of fear of retribution.
“We are on strike because we demand that the company respect our rights as workers, that it recognize our seniority, provide us with fair compensation for the years we have worked, and not resort to threats or retaliation,” the letter read.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Dairy Farmers of America said the company “takes compliance with state and federal labor laws very seriously and is committed to complying with federal employment eligibility requirements.”
E-Verify is required for all employers in some states, but not in Wisconsin. In the statement, Dairy Farmers of America said it uses the program because it holds federal contracts. The program is required for many federal contractors, although it is unclear whether any of those contracts are fulfilled by Wisconsin facilities.
The full transition of the workforce is due to take place on Sept. 1, spokesperson Kim O’Brien told WPR.
Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera, said the affected workers are requesting three weeks of severance for every year worked, plus all accrued paid time off to be paid out.
Not all affected workers are on strike, according to organizers, and O’Brien did not respond to a question about what percentage of the plant’s workforce has walked out. According to its E-Verify filing, under 100 people work at the plant, which markets its “Authentic and Fresh Hispanic Style Cheeses,” like queso blanco, queso fresca and cotija.
At Tuesday’s rally, Neumann-Ortiz noted the company has won awards for its Mexican-style cheeses.
That’s “thanks to the hard work and the dedication and the talent of these workers right here, and they deserve to be honored,” she said.
One of those workers, who spoke to WPR anonymously for fear of retribution, said through an interpreter that he worked for the company for 19 years. He described the workforce as “like a family.”
“Now, I just feel really sad, because it feels like they divided us,” he said.
Dairy Farmers of America operates more than 4,800 farms and 119 manufacturing and production facilities, according to its website. That includes almost 400 farms in Wisconsin.
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