AMERICAN LABOUR WASHINGTON STATE:

THE BOSS IS PACKING:

Molly has mentioned the long struggle between the United Farm Workers in the USA and Ruby Ridge Dairies several times before on this blog. I believe that this issue might be the one where an extremely aggressive reply from what I presume is either the owner or one of his managers was received at one time on this site. That little bit of verbal aggression, however, is nothing compared to what the workers at Ruby Ridge have to face, as the following item and appeal from the United Farm Workers (UFW) makes plain. They are asking for your support in cutting off the financial iv line that allows Ruby Ridge to keep up its anti-worker policies.

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This Boss Brings a Rifle to Work

Workers will hand petition in on January 11.
Sign the petition today!

We've written to you before about the unbearable situation workers face at WA's Ruby Ridge dairy. The dairy is being sued for violation of Washington wage and hour laws, unlawful discharge by firing 1/3 of the workforce and even assault. The workers who haven't yet been fired are afraid they're next.

Owner Dick Bengen often carries a rifle with him on his large dairy farm. To Dick Bengen, that rifle is his anti-union rifle that he uses to scare the workers into line. Mr. Bengen made a point of explaining the special purpose of this rifle to Miguel Cuevas, when he told him, "This rifle is for those people with the union."

Workers, members of the faith community and most recently, thousands of UFW supporters, contacted Northwest Farm Credit Services, the bank that loaned $13 million to Ruby Ridge. They demand the bank use its influence to resolve the issues at the dairy. The bank's mortgage language specifically prohibits illegal behavior such as the workers say is happening at Ruby Ridge.

The bank continues to ignore our calls. According to Margarito Martinez, who was fired from Ruby Ridge for supporting the union and fighting for his rights, "When workers and supporters tried to reach out to the bank to intervene in this matter, they turned us down, saying they did not want to be involved."

On January 11, right after the Christmas holidays, Ruby Ridge workers and their supporters will gather in front of the bank's headquarters. They will demand that the bank enforce their lending language.

We know that not everyone can join the workers in Spokane, WA, but you and your friends and family can join virtually by signing the petition that we'll present to the bank that day.

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THE PETITION:

Please go to this link to add your name to the following petition

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Petition:

Northwest Farm Credit Services should use its influence to resolve the dispute at Ruby Ridge Dairy. This bank has lent Ruby Ridge $13 million and has failed to hold the dairy accountable for its actions.

AMERICAN LABOUR WASHINGTON STATE:

NO MORE MONEY FOR RUBY RIDGE:

The Ruby Ridge Dairy in Washington State has a long record of abusing its workers, and now it is applying for yet more money to continue on as before. The United Farm Workers are asking that you help them apply pressure to the lender Northwest Farm Credit Services to withhold further loans until Ruby Ridge mends its ways. Here's the appeal....

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Would You Lend this Dairy $13 Million?
Does continuing to invest $13 million in a dairy that is being sued for violation of Washington wage and hour laws, unlawful discharge by firing 1/3 of the workforce and even assault sound like a good investment?

Apparently Northwest Farm Credit Services thinks so. They’re the bank who lent Ruby Ridge Dairy $13 million. Here’s the language from their January 29, 2008 mortgage. It states, "Mortgagors agree to comply with all laws, ordinances, regulations, covenants, conditions and restriction affecting the Property use including without limitation all environmental laws. Also not to use or permit the use of the Property for any unlawful or objectionable purpose or for any purpose that poses an unreasonable risk of harm, or that impairs or may impair the value of the Property." It sure appears that Ruby Ridge is not fulfilling the terms of their mortgage.

The lawsuit is only the tip of the iceberg. The workers who haven’t yet been fired are afraid they’re next. They tell us how pro-union workers have much higher daily quotas to meet that anti-union workers. The workers at Ruby Ridge believe are supporting the union are being segregated from the rest of the workforce. The pro-union workers report they work in a room that there is no safe drinking water. They either drink from hoses used to remove manure from the room’s floor or water barrels from which the cows drink. These workers also do not have a break room, so they are forced to eat alongside the cows. And when the owners see them taking a lunch break they are yelled at.

The UFW has repeatedly tried to bring these issues to the bank’s attention. So has the faith community and the Ruby Ridge workers. Northwest Farm Credit Services simply turned a blind eye.

We now need your support. Please send the email below and join our call for this bank to use its power to resolve the problems at Ruby Ridge Dairy.
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THE LETTER:
Please go to this link to send the following letter to the Northwest Farm Credit Services.
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Your bank has a moral and legal responsibility to address the issues at Ruby Ridge Dairy, a business to whom you’ve lent $13 million. No human beings should be subjected to the treatment that the workers at Ruby Ridge have been suffering. Twenty-five workers have filed suit against the dairy for wage and hour violations, assault and outrageous conduct. Your mortgage agreement clearly stipulates that Ruby Ridge must comply with all laws.

I call on you to immediately use your influence to resolve this situation. Please demand that the owners of Ruby Ridge meet with the United Farm Workers to resolve this dispute.

AMERICAN LABOUR-WASHINGTON STATE:

RUBY RIDGE WORKERS FIGHT FOR THEIR RIGHTS:

It's like something out of 'The Grapes of Wrath'. At the Ruby Ridge dairy farm in eastern Washington state workers may be forced to work up to 14 hours a day without overtime nor breaks. the workers involved have appealed to the United Farm Workers for help. As the workers involved struggle to organize here is the story and appeal that the UFW has published.

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Fight Brewing at Washington State Dairy:
Workers at Ruby Ridge Dairy in Eastern Washington complain of toiling ten, twelve, even fourteen hours a day. Not only do they not get overtime, they don't even get breaks. Nor do they get to stop and eat lunch. Try that, and the boss will threaten to fire them.

Under those conditions it's perhaps not surprising that four workers who went to the UFW for help have already gotten fired.

Workers are fed up with these horrendous conditions and have asked the UFW to represent them.The owners of Ruby Ridge have responded with more threats and intimidation. Faced with no other choice the UFW helped the workers file suit.

You can assist these workers in winning justice. Please contact Dick and Ruby Bengen, the owners of Ruby Ridge. Demand they respect workers, rehire the four workers who they fired, and recognize the UFW as the union of the workers' choosing.

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UPDATE:

This just in from the United Farm Workers...one of the owners of the Ruby Ridge Dairy seems rather "touchy". There are some out there that just can't control their liquor. That's all fine and good...until they are walking around with a gun in their hands. One can only hope they are drunk enough to shoot themselves by mistake. The update...

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Update: Your help is more urgently needed than ever at Ruby Ridge:
Ruby Ridge gives "under the gun" a new meaning :
Wednesday, we asked for your help to get the jobs back for the four workers who were fired at Rudy Ridge dairy. Ruby Ridge's response? Fire four more workers. Since workers approached the dairy seeking UFW representation, the dairy has fired 20% of their workforce.

Even worse, workers lives' might be in danger. Workers report that Dick Bengen is now threatening workers with his gun. One Ruby Ridge worker said, "in reality we're all scared to risk our lives because Dick will shoot us with his weapon."

Remember, all this comes after workers have complained about working ten to fourteen hours and not getting paid for all their work and not being allowed to take their rest and lunch breaks.

Your email is urgently needed to tell the Bengens that their actions are profoundly wrong and will not be tolerated.
http://www.ufwaction.org/ct/-dzuCuF17BqA/takeaction

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THE LETTER:

Please go to THIS LINK to send the following message to the owners of Ruby Ridge Dairy.

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It is profoundly wrong to threaten to workers with your gun. It is also wrong to fire workers who simply want to have a union to represent them. I call on you to immediately cease your threats, keep your gun off the work site, rehire the eight workers you've fired, and negotiate with the UFW, the union of their choice.