Striving For Justice: Triumphs in Mississippi Farmworker Discrimination Cases

In a noteworthy triumph, 13 Black farmworkers from the Mississippi Delta – TRLA and Mississippi Center for Justice (MCJ) clients – achieved settlements in lawsuits against two Mississippi Delta farming operations. The lawsuits alleged racial discrimination and misuse of the immigration system by Delta Farms. The workers contended that these farms favored white workers imported from South Africa by paying them more and providing them with greater work hours compared to the Black workers from the Delta.

Farm Labor Violations In Mississippi

Since 2005, the Department of Labor has only investigated a small share (less than 1%) of farms in Mississippi. Of those investigations, 81% found violations of labor laws.

The percent of farms investigated uses the state’s estimate of about 34,700 farms in Mississippi.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor; Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce.

Courtesy of Mississippi Today

Farms Investigated Investigations that found violations attorney at Mississippi Center for Justice.

TRLA took action against Pitts Farms and Harris Russell Farms, businesses involved in cotton, soybean, corn, and catfish farming in Sunflower County. The lawsuits asserted that the farms secured visas for white South African workers by deceitfully assuring the U.S. Department of Labor that local workers would be compensated equally and given preference for job opportunities. Maintaining their privacy, the workers and farms agreed to keep the settlement amounts confidential. However, TRLA was determined to convey a message to other employers.

Amal Bouhabib, Director of TRLA’s Southern Migrant Legal Services (SMLS) project, and Rob McDuff, a lawyer from MCJ, represented the workers. Despite these victories, the legal teams noted the persistence of unlawful practices among other Delta farms and pledged further actions against those not adhering to fair wage practices. In addition to the two cases that settled in 2022, SMLS currently represents another 40 Mississippi farmworkers who have suffered similar injustices.

“The plaintiffs in the Pitts case were trailblazers, and their bravery led to the widespread raising of wages for U.S. farmworkers throughout the Delta and gave others the courage to come to us and the Department of Labor for justice.”

- AMAL BOUHABIB, SMLS DIRECTOR

Efforts to address this issue extended beyond legal proceedings. TRLA and MCJ communicated with the U.S. Department of Labor about the prevalence of discriminatory practices in the Delta region. In response, U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh visited the Delta and, subsequently, the Department of Labor launched investigations resulting in the recovery of unpaid wages and imposition of fines against multiple farms.

Another encouraging success came as the MCJ hosted Secretary Walsh for a conference featuring clients from the PITTS60 case. This case involved Black U.S. farmworkers suing employers for unequal pay compared to South African H-2A workers. The conference brought together stakeholders, including representatives from DOL and DOJ, and proved to be a platform for client voices to be heard.

Source: U.S Department of Labor

Courtesy of Mississippi Today

The event brought attention to the profound disparities faced by the clients and signaled Secretary Walsh’s commitment to addressing these issues. The clients’ narratives resonated deeply, drawing attention to experiences reminiscent of the Jim Crow era. The conference boosted morale, strengthening the resolve to combat discrimination and wage theft in the Mississippi Delta farmworker community. These stories underscore the ongoing struggle for justice and equality within the agricultural sector, inspiring hope for change and fostering the courage to stand against systemic injustices. SMLS is proud to be the leading advocate in this fight.