Dozens of Workers to Benefit From Settlement of Lawsuit Against Dairy Industry Employer; Assistance Provided by CRLA, CRLF & Pro Bono Law Firm
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Approximately 75 dairy workers will benefit from a recent settlement of a lawsuit against Joaquin Toledo Jr. Dairy in Tulare, California. The settlement was approved by the Tulare County Superior Court on August 25, 2006 and all workers eligible to receive part of the $230,000 agreement will be notified over the next two weeks. Three employees of the dairy, represented by LSC-funded California Rural Legal Assistance Inc., California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, and pro bono private counsel, had filed the lawsuit claiming that employees at the dairy were denied legally required rest or meal breaks, did not receive overtime pay, and did not have the safety equipment necessary to do their work. As part of the settlement, the dairy agreed to comply with a state law that requires employers to record the hours and breaks taken by the employees. Alfredo Medrano, one of the plaintiffs, says that he approached his supervisors to address his problems before seeking legal assistance, but they wouldnt change anything and instead told us to go work for the government if we wanted to have rights. This lawsuit was the only way they would listen.