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Farmworkers Union Walk Out from the Fields This Morning
Burlington, WA — Familias Unidas por la Justicia (FUJ) members, an independent farmworker union based in Burlington, WA, and other farmworkers walked out of the Sakuma Bros Berry Farms this morning after more than 120 workers demanded an increase of the $0.24 per pound of strawberries that they were receiving. Workers are asking for an increase of their wage to $0.35 per pound of strawberries, along with the ongoing ask for a union contract.
For Immediate Release:
June 9th, 2016
Contacts: Maru Mora Villalpando (206) 251-6658 (English)
Ramon Torres, (360) 920-7215 (Spanish)
Farmworkers Union Walk Out from the Fields This Morning
Familias Unidas por la Justicia Members Demand Sakuma Fair Pay and to Negotiate Union Contract
Burlington, WA — Familias Unidas por la Justicia (FUJ) members, an independent farmworker union based in Burlington, WA, and other farmworkers walked out of the Sakuma Bros Berry Farms this morning after more than 120 workers demanded an increase of the $0.24 per pound of strawberries that they were receiving. Workers are asking for an increase of their wage to $0.35 per pound of strawberries, along with the ongoing ask for a union contract.
Since the summer of 2013 there have been at least six walkouts to demand an increase in wages, and farmworkers created FUJ to demand Sakuma negotiate a union contract that includes labor protections, $15/hour minimum salary, allowing workers to take time off when ill, an end to intimidation, better treatment of workers, respect, a clean workplace and improved housing conditions, and no yelling or threatening workers, among other demands.
Sakuma has refused to sit at the negotiation table, FUJ and supporters have continued to promote and expand the boycott of both Sakuma Berries and Driscoll Berries, a client of Sakuma Bros Berry Farms, at both a national and international level.
For videos and pictures visit https://boycottsakumaberries.com
Farmworker leaders are available for interviews.
# # #
FUJ is an independent farmworker union in Burlington WA with 500 members fighting for a union contract with Sakuma Farms to ensure living wage salaries, fair treatment, respect and dignity of farmworkers.
------
Call to Action:
YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED RIGHT NOW!
More than 100 workers are still outside the Sakuma fields this morning. They walked out of the fields as they did close to three years ago, now demanding an increase from .24 cents to .35 cents per pound of strawberry picked.
The struggle continues and we need your support. Please share and call Ryan Sakuma demanding an .11 cents increase for the farmworkers' labor at 360-661-4269 and tell him Sakuma should finally negotiate with the Union. Sakuma Administrative offices 360-770-4162 Call now!
#BoycottDriscolls #BoycottSakuma #FUJSolidaridad
June 9th, 2016
Contacts: Maru Mora Villalpando (206) 251-6658 (English)
Ramon Torres, (360) 920-7215 (Spanish)
Farmworkers Union Walk Out from the Fields This Morning
Familias Unidas por la Justicia Members Demand Sakuma Fair Pay and to Negotiate Union Contract
Burlington, WA — Familias Unidas por la Justicia (FUJ) members, an independent farmworker union based in Burlington, WA, and other farmworkers walked out of the Sakuma Bros Berry Farms this morning after more than 120 workers demanded an increase of the $0.24 per pound of strawberries that they were receiving. Workers are asking for an increase of their wage to $0.35 per pound of strawberries, along with the ongoing ask for a union contract.
Since the summer of 2013 there have been at least six walkouts to demand an increase in wages, and farmworkers created FUJ to demand Sakuma negotiate a union contract that includes labor protections, $15/hour minimum salary, allowing workers to take time off when ill, an end to intimidation, better treatment of workers, respect, a clean workplace and improved housing conditions, and no yelling or threatening workers, among other demands.
Sakuma has refused to sit at the negotiation table, FUJ and supporters have continued to promote and expand the boycott of both Sakuma Berries and Driscoll Berries, a client of Sakuma Bros Berry Farms, at both a national and international level.
For videos and pictures visit https://boycottsakumaberries.com
Farmworker leaders are available for interviews.
# # #
FUJ is an independent farmworker union in Burlington WA with 500 members fighting for a union contract with Sakuma Farms to ensure living wage salaries, fair treatment, respect and dignity of farmworkers.
------
Call to Action:
YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED RIGHT NOW!
More than 100 workers are still outside the Sakuma fields this morning. They walked out of the fields as they did close to three years ago, now demanding an increase from .24 cents to .35 cents per pound of strawberry picked.
The struggle continues and we need your support. Please share and call Ryan Sakuma demanding an .11 cents increase for the farmworkers' labor at 360-661-4269 and tell him Sakuma should finally negotiate with the Union. Sakuma Administrative offices 360-770-4162 Call now!
#BoycottDriscolls #BoycottSakuma #FUJSolidaridad
For more information:
https://boycottsakumaberries.com/
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June 10, 2016
BURLINGTON, Wash. - About 180 farmworkers staged a walkout from Sakuma Brothers Berry Farm yesterday to protest wages and working conditions.
The main demand of the union Familias Unidas por la Justicia (Families United for Justice) is an 11-cent increase for each pound of strawberries workers pick.
The union's communications director, Maru Mora, says workers have staged six walkouts over the past three years.
"There has been a long struggle right now with Sakuma to just sit down at the negotiation table," says Mora. "And the fact that they haven't, that's why farmworkers decided to do walkouts, starting in July of 2013."
The union is also asking for better working conditions and a minimum wage of $15 an hour for workers. In a statement to the website Fresh Fruit Portal, Sakuma Brothers CEO Danny Weeden denies allegations of poor conditions or retaliation against workers for their union activity.
Sakuma Brothers' main distributor is Driscoll's Berries, the largest berry distributor in the world. The workers' union has been calling for a boycott of Driscoll's products until the company puts pressure on Sakuma to negotiate.
Mora says it's a big deal that farmworkers are willing to put their livelihoods on the line to protest their working conditions.
"Farmworkers are the people with less protections in labor conditions, and if they have decided to walk out and use the little money they earn per day," she says. "I think it tells you the terrible conditions that they're facing."
The union holds a meeting today to decide how to move forward with the current walkout. It's already planning a march in Burlington in July to mark the 3-year anniversary of the first walkout on Sakuma Brothers' farm.
Eric Tegethoff, Public News Service - WA
BURLINGTON, Wash. - About 180 farmworkers staged a walkout from Sakuma Brothers Berry Farm yesterday to protest wages and working conditions.
The main demand of the union Familias Unidas por la Justicia (Families United for Justice) is an 11-cent increase for each pound of strawberries workers pick.
The union's communications director, Maru Mora, says workers have staged six walkouts over the past three years.
"There has been a long struggle right now with Sakuma to just sit down at the negotiation table," says Mora. "And the fact that they haven't, that's why farmworkers decided to do walkouts, starting in July of 2013."
The union is also asking for better working conditions and a minimum wage of $15 an hour for workers. In a statement to the website Fresh Fruit Portal, Sakuma Brothers CEO Danny Weeden denies allegations of poor conditions or retaliation against workers for their union activity.
Sakuma Brothers' main distributor is Driscoll's Berries, the largest berry distributor in the world. The workers' union has been calling for a boycott of Driscoll's products until the company puts pressure on Sakuma to negotiate.
Mora says it's a big deal that farmworkers are willing to put their livelihoods on the line to protest their working conditions.
"Farmworkers are the people with less protections in labor conditions, and if they have decided to walk out and use the little money they earn per day," she says. "I think it tells you the terrible conditions that they're facing."
The union holds a meeting today to decide how to move forward with the current walkout. It's already planning a march in Burlington in July to mark the 3-year anniversary of the first walkout on Sakuma Brothers' farm.
Eric Tegethoff, Public News Service - WA
For more information:
http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2016-06-1...
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