Controversy Grows Over Western Dairies’ Dangriga Firings

On Wednesday, we reported on the ongoing controversy over Western Dairies’ alleged ‘mass firing’ of four women at its Dangriga branch. The employees say they were abruptly dismissed with a vague letter that gave no reason for their termination. After more than a year on the job, they claim they received no warnings or disciplinary action, despite company rules requiring those steps before dismissal. Western Dairies, however, maintains that the process was lawful. But according to new information from the Mayor of Dangriga, the terminations began shortly after a change in management at the branch last month.

 

Robert Mariano, Dangriga Mayor

“One of the most crucial person who is a crucial witness to this case is one of the past supervisors, right? He too was changed, right? He too. And when I spoke with the past supervisor who was changed just about a month ago, he’s telling me that when he was there, he didn’t have any problem with these women. There was no problem, he said, at no time did he ever discipline any of them. But what happened after he left, they have new management and it appears that there is where everything started. What is strange also is that I was told, that two weeks ago or three weeks ago, I think it was two or three persons who were also released. And the same 12th of September, a new person was employed. And what is concerning to our people is that it is the kind of people who are being released. According to them, well, all of them are Black people. And when you go to the establishment, there’s nobody that looked like them at the establishment.”