Federal judge denies Spreckels’ motion for a strike injunction
Sugar workers will continue labor strike
BRAWLEY – United States District Judge Gonzalo Curiel has denied Spreckels Sugar’s emergency motion for a preliminary injunction on the unfair labor practice (ULP) strike conducted by members of UFCW Local 135, according to a union press release.
According to the press release, the judge’s ruling states:
“In sum, the Court concludes that Plaintiff has failed to demonstrate a likelihood of success on the merits…. Accordingly, the Court DENIES Plaintiff ’s ‘emergency motion for preliminary injunction.’ Based on the above, the Court DENIES Plaintiff ’s “emergency motion for preliminary injunction.”
UFCW Local 135 President Todd Walters commented on the ruling.
“The judge has refused to allow Spreckels to break our strike. This forces the company to have to negotiate with the workers,” Walters said in the release. “The workers will continue to picket until we can bargain a solution to the issues that caused the ULP strike.”
After multiple ULP charges were filed with the National Labor Relations Board, approximately one hundred union workers at Spreckels Sugar in Brawley and Imperial went out on a ULP strike on Thursday, March 9, after voting on March 1 to take the action, per the press release.
UFCW Local 135 represents workers at Spreckels Sugar Company at two locations in Imperial County: the sugar processing plant located at 395 W. Keystone Road in Brawley and a warehouse at 510 W. Aten in Imperial.
Sugar workers will continue picketing both sites Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. until 4 p.m. during normal operating hours, the release states.