Solidarity Donations

We, the undersigned, are coming together to organize and raise funds for two of our fellow co-workers who were unjustly terminated by Dill Pickle Food Cooperative management.


On March 27th 2020, Diana Alvarez, was wrongfully terminated by our Administrative Services Personnel for voicing her grievances at an all staff meeting about the racism she was experiencing from her supervisor on March 20th, 2020. Instead of investigating whether or not the claims were true and allowing Diana to further express her concerns, she was called into the Administrative Office on March 29th, and given her termination on the basis that speaking up about the racism she was experiencing in the workplace made others feel uncomfortable. Please see attached photo for proof of her unjust termination. We are seeking justice for Diana through cooperative channels and Diana herself is currently appealing her case with management and will be seeking legal counsel if justice is not served on her behalf.


On February 10th 2020, our other co-worker, Troy Ishkhanian, was unjustifiably terminated for showing up an hour late for his closing shift on  February 7th. Our Grocery Manager had failed to email Troy his new work schedule for the week until an hour and a half before the start of his scheduled shift on February 7th. Troy has to commute about 30 minutes from the South Side of Chicago to show up for his shift at the Dill Pickle, but because he was given such short notice he wasn’t able to make it on time and was subsequently fired. We are currently demanding the reinstatement of Troy on his behalf. 


With the advent of the COVID-19 crisis, filing for unemployment and job searching are all but non tangible in the short term future. Diana was given a severance package of one extra paycheck + PTO, but she is also supporting her mother who was recently laid off of her job due to the pandemic. Troy has also struggled to find a new job since he was fired and with the viral outbreak, finding work has been even more difficult. He has a three-year-old daughter, Luna, to support whose mother is also out of work because of COVID-19. Being terminated from Dill Pickle and the recent pandemic has made it significantly more difficult to support himself and his family. 

This is where your help will be greatly appreciated.  Rent and utilities will be due next month.  These wrongful terminations have left our coworkers in a position where they will be unable to pay their bills and put food on their table, if they do not have the resources to do so.  We are asking for any monetary support you can offer at this time.


In cooperation,

The Dill Pickle Organizing Committee