WA farmworkers fight for union recognition at mushroom farm that was sued over discrimination, retaliation

Labor activists and farmworkers demonstrated in downtown Seattle Thursday afternoon for the right to organize a union at a mushroom farm in Central Washington.

The farm was sued by the state earlier this year over several workplace violations.

Maria Rangel used to work at the farm. She said she loved her job cultivating mushrooms, but she supported the effort to unionize, hoping to make her workplace better. She was later let go, she said.

“I’m not going to lie, I was a little worried about losing my job, but I’ve always been firm about making that place better. I loved that job,” Rangel told KUOW in Spanish.

She said she felt targeted because of her strong views on the union, adding that many current employees fear the same consequence that she faced for speaking out.

Last year, farmworkers at what used to be Ostrom Mushroom Farms voted to unionize. But the farm, which has since changed ownership to Windmill Farms, has not recognized that vote.

Farmworkers aren’t protected by the National Labor Relations Act, which would typically require a business to recognize a union.

In May, the state ordered the former owner of the farm, Ostrom Mushroom Farms, $3.4 million for discrimination and retaliation against workers there.

An investigation by the Washington State Attorney General's Office found that Ostrom illegally fired women employees in favor of men who were on foreign guest worker visas. Workers who spoke out against the practice faced retaliation, the investigation found.

Organizers and workers at Thursday's demonstration said a union would better protect workers from such practices.

“That is an appropriate message for Labor Day and that is what we are celebrating today,” said Roman Pinal, an organizer for the United Farm Workers of America. They're part of the unionization effort holding regular meetings.

The Attorney General’s Office says it's still working on how to pay out those millions of dollars to impacted farmworkers. But that’s not all.

“We also continue to monitor compliance with the court orders requiring that Ostrom and its successor company…refrain from unfair, deceptive and discriminatory employment practices,” said Dan Jackson, a spokesperson for the Attorney General's Office.

Ostrom Farms was also recently fined roughly $60,000 in unpaid wages for 62 employees, and almost $75,000 in civil money penalties.

Windmill Farms did not respond to KUOW's request for comment.