Taylor Farms employees stop work, demand raise

For an update to this story, see Union: More wage talks with Salinas Valley companies ahead.

Workers went on strike June 5 at Salinas, Calif.-based Taylor Farms.

A local television station reported that the action involved hundreds of workers and that employees were demanding a $2.50 per-hour pay increase. The company has approved a $1.50 pay hike.

Taylor Farms would not comment specifically on the matter or confirm how many workers were involved, but the company did issue a statement from Mark Borman, company president.

“At Taylor Farms, our employees are our greatest assets. For the past 20 years, we have an enjoyed a wonderful partnership with our workforce,” according to the statement. “As the labor market continues to evolve, we remain committed to offering our employees some of the most competitive wages and benefits in the industry.

“While our Salinas employees are under a union-negotiated contract for another year, we have implemented additional wage increases.”

A number of other grower-shippers in California’s Salinas Valley declined to comment on the strike, or its possible implications on their own operations.

“At this point, we haven’t heard anything,” said John Scherpinski, sales director with Salinas-based D’Arrigo Bros.