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

Overview

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.