Welcome to our e-newsletter about farm worker justice in the Northwest and nationally. Your advocacy and support is needed and is making a difference! Contact us.
We are a faith-based farm worker solidarity organization working for justice with the local farm worker community in the Northwest
Breaking News: Support Ostrom Mushroom Workers at Press Conference in Seattle, 11 am Wed., Aug. 17
Mushroom workers at Ostrom Mushroom Farms in Sunnyside WA are demanding a workplace free from threats, excessive pressure, harassment and retaliation.
Join the Ostrom Workers, United Farm Workers and the Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson at a Press Conference TOMORROW, Wednesday, August 17 at 11 am at El Centro de la Raza, 2524-16th Ave So in Seattle.
Mt. Ferguson will be announcing that the Washington State Attorney General is suing Ostrom for wage theft, gender discrimination and illegally displacing local workers.
Your presence at the press conference in solidarity with the workers shows them how important farm workers are to all of us.
If you can't make the press conference, be sure to sign the workers petition. Ostrom Mushroom Farms workers want the company to know that people nationally are paying attention to this issue. Stand with them in solidarity. Sign their petition today.
Meet and Greet with Farm Workers and Their Allies
Here is your opportunity to come out and meet and greet farm workers and their allies and learn about the current issues facing farm workers in Washington, Oregon and nationally.
Farm Worker Ministry Northwest and National Farm Worker Ministry (NFWM) are hosting these community events in conjunction with our farm worker partners, Community to Community, Familias Unidas por la Justicia and PCUN. NFWM will be conducting videotaped interviews with farm workers for their Harvest of Justice curriculum.
Please join us for fun, fellowship, education and solidarity!
Monday - August 29, 2022 – Bellingham & Everson, Washington
10:00am - meet at Community to Community Centro Solidario office
203 W. Holly, Suite 311, Bellingham, WA
Learn about current farmworker issues
Noon – walk with a delegation from the C2C office (address above) to Bellingham City Hall, 210 Lottie Street Bellingham, WA
Present the “Immigration makes us strong campaign”
3 pm -- visit Cooperativa Tierra y Libertad, a worker-owned cooperative farm, 1045 Central Rd Everson, WA
Sit in on National Farm Worker Ministry videotaping of interviews regarding immigration issues and children on the Northern Border and worker ownership of farms
Tuesday - August 30, 2022 – Mt. Vernon, Washington
10am - Meet at C2C Promotoras Centro Solidario office
224 Stewart Rd, Mt. Vernon, WA
Learn about farmworker issues and visit with promotoras and farmworkers who belong to the Familias Unidas por la Justicia farmworker labor union
Sit in on National Farm Worker Ministry videotaping of interviews regarding the national H2A farmworker visa program and child labor
End at noon
Wednesday – August 31, 2022 - Woodburn, Oregon
10 am - Meet at the PCUN office, Oregon’s farmworker labor union 300 Young St, Woodburn, OR
Participate in training on heat and smoke stress for farm workers, includes lunch
Watch the e-news for late breaking time changes, or email the Rev. Connie Yost to get the latest schedule
Farm Workers are Marching 335 miles to CA State Capitol for
Ag Voting Choice Act
California farm workers need your support for union voting rights legislation, regardless of whether or not you live in California.
A little background info: Last year the CA legislature submitted a bill to Governor Gavin Newsom that would make it easier for farm workers to vote to join a union. Presently, they have to vote on the growers' property which is a bit threatening when your boss is looking over your shoulder. The governor vetoed the bill last year saying it was poorly written. This year the legislature is again submitting a similar bill, AB 2183, which would allow farm workers to vote by mail, a right most of us take for granted. After mark up negotiations, this bill should go to the governor again for his signature.
To support this legislation, farm workers are marching from Delano to Sacramento. They started Wednesday, August 3, and they are expecting to arrive August 26 for a rally at the capitol. This march imitates Cesar Chavez's marches for justice and raising awareness about farm workers in the state. For this effort, we want to support farm workers and bombard the governor with letters, emails, phone calls, postcards, and more – whatever is easiest for you. Some supporters are contacting him every day. Whatever you can do will be appreciated.
Primary messaging can be:
"Please sign AB2183"
"Please explain your objections to AB 2183"
"Why can't farm workers vote in private?"
"Farm workers feed us, give them the right to vote by mail"
"Farm workers feed us and deserve to vote in private!"
To contact the governor electronically, go to https://govapps.gov.ca.gov/gov40mail/. Please note you are unable to send any attachments through this form.
For postal mail:
The Honorable Gavin Newsom
1021 O Street, Suite 9000
Sacramento, CA 95814
His phone is 916-445-2841.
For social media: #Farmworkers should be able to participate in union votes outside of the growers property. Tell @CAgovernor to sign #AB2183, which would allow farm workers to vote in the privacy of their homes. #FarmWorkerJustice
THURSDAY, AUG. 18 -- Join the UW Harry Bridges Labor Center on Thursday, Aug. 18 at 4 p.m. for "Farm Workers, Public Health, and Community Research," a special conversation via Zoom with University of Washington Ph.D. student and public health researcher Érica Chavez Santos. Get details.
Op-ed: Farmworkers Face Stress and Depression. The Pandemic Made It Worse. BY AMY QUANDT AND LUIS FLORES • July 28, 2022
A new study underscores the multitude of stresses faced by farmworkers, including the ongoing impact of COVID-19, increasing heat and climate crises, as well as challenging working and living conditions. More
From FWM-NW Board Member Roger Yockey: Christie Tirado is a young, talented artiist. I first learned of this Latina when I read in the Yakima Herald-Republic about her and saw some of her paintings included in the newspaper article. She had an exhibit i at a gallery in Tieton, a small Yakima Valley community. WOW! Marilyn, my wife, and I went to the gallery and met Christie, a very pleasant person, and saw her artistic presentations of essential workers. One of her beautiful prints is "Cultivando el Valle de Yakima" which I have included in my book, Harvesting Justice with Farm Workers (available on Amazon). Visit Yakima and see the collaborative mural directed by Christie at the La Escuelita at La Casa Hogar, 106 S 6th St, Yakima, WA. It is beautiful! This Mexican-American artist is also an art teacher at a K-8 school in Yakima. Those youngsters are so fortunate to learn from Christie and you will likewise if you go on the internet to learn more about Christie Tirado and her artistic works.
There's Work to Be Done!
¡Sí, Se Puede! / Yes, We Can!
NFWM and FWM-NW Supports These Boycotts led by our Farm Worker Partners.
We hope you will, too!
