LIVONIA — More than 200 supporters marched and rallied in front of the Mastronardi Produce plant here on Sunday demanding that the company negotiate fairly with workers over unpaid wages and unsafe working conditions.

Workers during the protest. PHOTO: AIR

The march took place on the one-year anniversary of a class action lawsuit filed by current and former workers to address egregious labor violations.  Workers described numerous abuses including a pregnant worker with morning sickness who was denied the ability to use the bathroom, and was left to vomit in a trash can; workers not being allowed to leave the plant during a dangerous chemical spill, and forced to keep working. When some  passed out, they had to pay for their own ambulance.

Shortages in their pay regularly occurred, and they were forced to be on-site often for two hours before being allowed to punch in.

 “They treated us all so poorly — almost like animals.  We want Mastronardi to change their ways and to treat all of their workers with respect, including paying us our fair wages,” Abel, the President of the workers committee said.

Workers were joined by members of UAW Local 600 and the United Steelworkers, clergy from St. Anne’s Parish, staff from the office of State Representative Rashida Tlaib, and other members of the 99 percent Spring movement.

The protestors greeted Congressman John Conyers’ with cheers and chants when he unexpectedly joined the picket line and pledged to take the workers’ fight to the halls of Congress.

Mastronardi Produce is one of North America’s largest packing and greenhouse companies.  The company packs produce that is sold under grocers’ own company labels, including Meijer, Trader Joe’s and Aldi, as well as for their own “Sunset” brand.