News and Updates
WA Bill Would Update Protections for Farmworkers on Contract
January 22, 2020 Originally Posted at Public News Service OLYMPIA, Wash. — The landscape for farms and farmworkers has changed significantly in the past 70 years, so farm workers’ advocates want the Evergreen State to update the Washington Farm Labor...
read more‘CLOSE TO SLAVERY’ OR LEGALIZATION? THE FARMWORKERS’ HARD CHOICE
By David Bacon November 25, 2019 Originally posted at The American Prospect Ramon Torres, president of Familias Unidas por la Justicia, the new independent union for farmworkers in Washington state, says his experience helping H2-A workers protest labor violations...
read moreFamilias Unidas Initial Position on the Farmworker Modernization Act of 2019
Position of Familias Unidas por la Justica on the Farmworker Modernization Act of 2019. As Agricultural workers, we recognize the urgency and the need for justice for our community. For many years we have resisted the growing attack on the immigrant and working people...
read moreFUJ Celebracion: Dandole Gracias a Nuestra Comunidad (Thanking Our Community)
FUJ Celebracion: Dandole Gracias a Nuestra Comunidad (Thanking Our Community) Hosted by Familias Unidas por la Justicia (FUJ) WHEN: Sunday, November 24, 5 PM – 8 PM WHERE: USW Hall, 47 Alder Lane, Mount Vernon This event is to give thanks to those who have been with...
read moreThe Farmworkers Who Pick Your Food Don’t Get Paid Overtime
By Gosia Wozniacka Originally Published at CivilEats Farmworkers perform some of the most arduous jobs, often in extreme heat, with heavy equipment, large animals, and a high risk that they will be exposed to hazardous chemicals. And yet—unlike the vast majority of...
read moreFall and Winter Volunteer Opportunities
Getting ready for the fall and winter work. Many events and workshops for our community. If you want more information on how to participate or volunteer send us a message. You can send an email to fuj@qwestoffice.net or contact FUJ via facebook page....
read moreClimate Change is Affecting Farm Workers
August 26th, 2019 Originally posted at The Takeaway On The Takeaway, we’ve talked about how heat is affecting workers throughout the country this summer — but now we want to turn our attention to farmers. For instance, farmers from California have been...
read moreThe H-2A Guest Worker Program Has Ballooned in Size, but Both Farmers and Workers Want it Fixed
By Gosia Wozniacka July 16,2019 Originally Posted at Civil Eats When Juan Antonio Lara signed up to work in Washington state’s apple orchards, he had big dreams. He hoped to make enough money working as an agricultural guest worker to build a house in his native El...
read moreSince Washington, D.C., Won’t Oversee Its Guest Worker Programs, Washington State Will
By David Bacon July 5th, 2019 Originally Posted at The American Prospect On Wednesday morning, June 12, 21 guest workers at the King Fuji Ranch in Mattawa, Washington, didn’t file into the company orchards as usual, to thin apples. Instead, they stood with arms folded...
read moreFired just for asking for a raise, Washington farm workers organize
By David Bacon April 23rd, 2019 Originally posted at People’s World In 2013, in Washington State, Familias Unidas por la Justicia was born when migrant indigenous Mexican blueberry pickers refused to go into the fields of Sakuma Brothers Farms after one of them...
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