Baltimore, MD - Five black poultry growers will have to take their charges of racial discrimination and unfair treatment against Perdue Farms to arbitration, a federal judge ruled.
Attorneys representing the farmers had previously argued the company's arbitration policy is unfair and unsuitable for cases involving racial discrimination.
In the decision, U.S. District Court Judge Marvin J. Garbis ruled that the claims by Winston Monk, his wife, Alma, and three other Perdue growers have to settle disputes through binding arbitration. The growers' contracts with the poultry producer specifies arbitration for settling disputes.
The ruling stays the federal lawsuit against Perdue at least until an arbitration team investigates and makes a decision on the claims.
Roger Gregory, the Richmond, Va., lawyer representing the growers -- who all live in North Carolina with the exception of the Monks -- said he had not seen the decision and did not want to comment. The Monks live in Maryland.
The growers claimed in the $160 million lawsuit against Perdue that they were subjected to worse treatment and stricter standards than white growers. They claimed the company gave them bad feed, charged them for feed never received, under-weighed their chickens and broke their equipment.
Meat Industry Insights News Service
P.O. Box 553
Northport, NY 11768
Phone: 631-757-4010
Fax: 631-757-4060
E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com
Return to Home Page