Teamster dairy workers gather at the Union hall in Tukwila after taking a final strike vote on July 9.

Darigold production workers and lab technicians at the company’s Seattle and Issaquah milk processing plants voted overwhelmingly to strike on Saturday. The results of the vote were 159 in favor of a strike to 1 opposed.  Voting took place at three meetings throughout the day at the Teamsters Union Hall in Tukwila.  

“We all stand behind each other,” said Henning Jensen, a 27-year Darigold employee and member of the union bargaining committee. “If the company continues to push us, we’ll continue to fight for our rights. We deserve to be treated like human beings.”

Después de la votación, los trabajadores y voluntarios de la comunidad enviaron a siete tiendas de Walmart y Sam's Club de la zona para educar a los consumidores sobre las prácticas injustas en las plantas y las condiciones inseguras e insalubres en las granjas que suministran leche Darigold. "Los trabajadores de las granjas son tratados terriblemente y la compañía usa tácticas de mano dura para tratar de intimidar a sus empleados", dijo Jensen.

Teamsters Local 117 has filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board alleging that Darigold violated federal labor law by engaging in illegal surveillance of its workers and unilaterally changing working conditions. Darigold is also accused of failing to provide information about reportedly massive bonuses doled out to managers during bargaining.

“Darigold has established a pattern of bad-faith bargaining, violating its employees’ rights, and opposing efforts to improve farmworker safety,” said John Scearcy, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 117. “When Darigold intimidates workers and turns a blind eye to poor working conditions and abhorrent practices on the farms, it jeopardizes food safety.”

In 2003, Darigold locked out its employees for nine months, which set off a boycott of Darigold products in the stores. Three years ago, the union accused Darigold of violating federal law during contract negotiations, alleging that Darigold unlawfully fired union supporters.  Last year, a dairy worker on a farm that supplies Darigold’s milk drowned in an unmarked manure pit.

The 220 Teamsters at Darigold’s Seattle and Issaquah facilities have been working without a contract since May 31. The union and the company have agreed to meet again on Tuesday, July 12.

"Me gustaría ver a Darigold venir a la mesa con una oferta de contrato razonable con la que todos podamos vivir", dijo Jensen. "Queremos mantener la empresa rentable, pero también queremos asegurarnos de que nuestros derechos están protegidos y que las condiciones en las granjas y en las plantas son humanas."

Darigold es propiedad de más de 500 miembros de la Asociación Lechera del Noroeste. Los trabajadores de la planta de Issaquah hacen mantequilla, crema agria y queso cottage, mientras que los trabajadores de Seattle procesan cientos de miles de galones de leche cada año, suministrando a Costco, Walmart y otras tiendas de comestibles en todo el Noroeste del Pacífico.