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SWEDESBORO, N.J. — More than 50 people assembled outside the La Brea Bakery here March 17 to protest the recent firing of some 100 workers following a company audit of immigration records. Demonstrators read a letter to La Brea Bakery management demanding either reinstatement, severance pay or “some compensation for their years of service.”
La Brea Bakery, which employs about 250 workers on three shifts, conducted an internal review of I-9 employment authorization forms and fired anyone who couldn’t present the requested paperwork. Many of the fired workers have 10 or more years seniority.
“We were unjustly fired and weren’t given a chance to prepare for this step,” said Francisco Cuevas, who worked in the sanitation department.
Two years ago the plant, which bakes organic bread, was bought by Arytza, a giant international food corporation. Soon afterwards the company rolled back medical benefits, eliminated paid sick days and speeded up production.
Organizers of the protest included representatives from the Farmworker Support Committee.
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