Farmworkers Walk Out of Sakuma Fields- Workers Ask for Fair Wages Again

July 21, 2016

Burlington, WA- Farmworkers at Sakuma Bros. Berry Farms that walked out from the fields yesterday morning due to with growing frustration about the price per pound, and decreasing number of hours allowed to pick, including members of Familias Unidas por la Justicia (FUJ), independent union, went back to work today when asked to pick in a different field.

Even tough workers agreed to go back to work, they were asked to leave the fields after only 4 hours and half of picking. Workers reported there were still many berries to be picked.

Sakuma farmworkers are professional berry harvesters; they can scope out a field and know the quality and quantity of the berries.

“This knowledge comes from years of experience not just harvesting berries but all kinds of fruit and vegetables along the West Coast,” said Ramon Torres President of FUJ, “this is why we know how to negotiate a fair wage for us and the company and why we need a contract at Sakuma, to stop these work stoppages, we need to work.”

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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