A California jury has awarded roughly $52 million to a group of truck drivers and yard workers who alleged they were retaliated against after raising safety, wage and regulatory concerns at Sysco, one of the nation’s largest food-distribution companies.
The verdict stems from a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Sysco Riverside Inc. and Sysco Corp., in which multiple plaintiffs accused company managers of fostering a culture of intimidation toward employees who reported unsafe and illegal practices.
Maryann Gallagher, the lead plaintiff attorney in the case, said the size of the verdict reflects how jurors viewed the evidence.
“I think there was overwhelming evidence,” Gallagher told FreightWaves. “There was so much evidence that Sysco was violating the law and these people were complaining and they didn’t do anything about it.”
Sysco said it plans to challenge the verdict. In a statement emailed to FreightWaves, the company said, “Safety and security are top priorities at Sysco Riverside, Inc., as well as Sysco’s other operating sites.”
Sysco added that while it “respect[s] the jury’s time and service,” it “strongly disagree[s] with its findings” and is reviewing the award to determine next steps, “including but not limited to anticipated post-verdict proceedings and an appeal.”
According to court documents, the employees — many of whom had worked at Sysco for years or decades at a location in Riverside, California...
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