Combatting Wage Suppression in the Sheep Ranching Industry: Llacua et al. v. Western Range Association et al

April 30, 2019 Agricultural Workers' Rights, Antitrust, Civil RICO, Featured, Federal Court, Immigrant Rights, The American West

Towards Justice attacks impediments to competitive labor markets that should allow workers, including the most marginalized and underpaid, to shop between employers for a better deal. We represent shepherds in a class action lawsuit alleging that ranchers across the Western United States colluded to depress shepherd wages, illegally deducted expenses from their meager paychecks, and misled state and federal governments in a pattern of racketeering activity. Our clients allege that ranches hired their shepherds through an association constituted by competing ranches. In doing so, they sharply limited competition for shepherds and effectively fixed wages at the minimum allowable by law.

Case Documents

Tenth Circuit Brief

Petition for Rehearing

Brief of Amicus Curiae Open Markets Institute

Press Releases

9/1/2015 Shepherds Allege that an Antitrust Conspiracy Has Kept Them Below the Poverty Line

Press

9/2/2015 Lawsuit: Western sheep operators colluded against workers

9/2/2015 Peruvian shepherds claim wage fixing in U.S. sheep industry: lawsuit

9/1/2015 Workers Say Sheep Ranchers, Ranching Groups Fixing Wages

Spanish Language Press

11/16/2015 Cautiverio En Las Rocallosas, Parte 1

11/9/2015 Pastores de ovejas en la miseria tras venir como trabajodres huéspedes

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In The Courtroom

Our litigators help workers advance legal claims that address systemic injustice. We use antitrust, anti-slavery, fraud, wage-and-hour, and common-law challenges to address the wide variety of practices that nickel-and-dime low-wage workers out of their hard-earned wages. We have represented a hundred thousand childcare workers alleging wage suppression, tens of thousands of immigrant detainees alleging forced labor, and hundreds of construction workers, shepherds, manicurists, janitors, and kitchen hood cleaners. We are leaders in challenging anti-competitive practices that reduce worker bargaining power and support marginalized people who challenge structural impediments to their advancement.

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