{"id":2149135,"date":"2024-01-15T07:41:02","date_gmt":"2024-01-15T12:41:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/op-ed-are-farmworker-advocates-ignoring-actual-farmworkers\/"},"modified":"2024-01-15T07:47:51","modified_gmt":"2024-01-15T12:47:51","slug":"op-ed-are-farmworker-advocates-ignoring-actual-farmworkers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/op-ed-are-farmworker-advocates-ignoring-actual-farmworkers\/","title":{"rendered":"Op-Ed: Are farmworker advocates neglecting real farmworkers"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fop-ed-are-farmworker-advocates-ignoring-actual-farmworkers%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2149135&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>This past fall, nearly 1,000 farm workers attended a \u200bseries of public rallies where many of them voiced deep concern with shrinking paychecks resulting from\u200d Washington state\u2019s new agricultural overtime\u200c law.<\/h2>\n<p>During the fall season, close to 1,000 farm workers \u200bpassionately expressed their worries \u200cabout reduced \u2062wages\u2063 caused by Washington state&#8217;s recent agricultural overtime law at a series of engaging public rallies.<\/p>\n<h2>Hundreds more \u200dhave\u2063 spoken similar frustrations with the unintended consequences of the new law in video interviews gathered primarily in orchards and at farm worker housing across the state.<\/h2>\n<p>In addition, hundreds \u200dof farm workers have shared their frustrations through video interviews conducted in orchards \u2063and farm worker housing across Washington state, highlighting the unintended negative \u200beffects of the new law.<\/p>\n<h2>But just weeks later, professional activists Andrea Schmidt and \u200cEdgar Franks, who represent\u200b themselves as championing the cause of farmworkers, said not a single word \u200cabout the workers\u2019 plight when called on to speak to a work session of\u2063 the state\u200b Senate\u200b Agriculture Committee.<\/h2>\n<p>However, to the \u2062surprise \u200dof many, professional activists Andrea\u200d Schmidt and Edgar \u2062Franks, who claim to advocate \u2063for farmworkers, remained silent about the challenges faced by these workers during a work session of the state Senate Agriculture Committee, just weeks \u200dafter the rallies.<\/p>\n<h2>Many Washington farmworkers say they\u2019re currently looking for second and third \u200bjobs to make up\u2062 for the money they\u2019ve\u2064 lost, due\u2063 to farms \u200dreducing work\u200d hours to comply with the new overtime rules while avoiding bankruptcy.<\/h2>\n<p>A significant number of farmworkers in Washington \u200dare\u2064 now \u200bseeking additional \u2062employment opportunities to compensate\u200c for the \u2063income they have lost. Farms have been forced to reduce\u2064 work\u2064 hours to adhere to the new overtime regulations, all while trying to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/chinas-crisis-of-confidence\/\" title=\"China\u2019s Crisis of Confidence\">avoid financial ruin<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>The silence on this problem raises \u200dtroubling questions \u2063about \u200cthese advocates\u2019 credibility in speaking on behalf of workers, whether it\u2019s before a legislative committee, in news reporting on worker issues,\u2062 or even on social media.<\/h2>\n<p>The lack of acknowledgment regarding this issue \u2062raises concerns about the credibility of these advocates when representing\u200d the interests of workers. It calls into question \u2062their ability to effectively advocate for workers in various settings, including legislative committees, news reporting, and social \u200cmedia.<\/p>\n<h2>Do Schmidt and Franks have any \u200dactionable\u2064 solutions to ease workers\u2019 \u200dimmediate struggle? Have they even listened to the depth of concern so many workers are expressing? Are they willing to acknowledge \u200dthe changes brought by the legal case and ensuing legislation on this issue\u2013that they championed extensively\u2013are far more nuanced than the false \u2018oppressed\u200b workers vs. rich owners\u2019 narrative they\u2019ve spun?<\/h2>\n<p>Do Schmidt and Franks possess any\u200b practical solutions to \u200calleviate the immediate challenges faced \u200dby workers? Have they truly taken the time to \u2063listen to\u200d the genuine concerns expressed by numerous workers? Are they willing\u200d to recognize that the legal case\u2062 and \u2064subsequent legislation they heavily advocated for have complexities that\u200d go beyond the\u2063 simplistic narrative \u200cof &#8220;oppressed workers versus \u2062rich owners&#8221; \u2063that they have propagated?<\/p>\n<h2>If the answer to \u200cany of those questions is \u200b\u201cno,\u201d the more important question becomes whether Schmidt, an attorney for Columbia Legal Services, or Franks, political director for\u200c uncertified union Familias Unidas por \u2063la Justicia (FUJ), can credibly speak on behalf of\u200b farmworkers at all.<\/h2>\n<p>If the answer to\u200b any of these questions is &#8220;no,&#8221; it raises a more \u200bsignificant concern \u2064about the credibility of \u200cSchmidt,\u200d an attorney\u200c for Columbia Legal Services,\u200b and Franks, \u2063the political director for\u2063 the\u200c uncertified union Familias Unidas por la Justicia (FUJ), in effectively representing the\u2062 interests of farmworkers.<\/p>\n<h2>The obvious disconnect between what genuine farmworkers are saying in public and what professional activists are telling lawmakers should give anyone\u200d pause when listening to these\u200b activists\u2019 organizations\u2019 \u2063overheated, scorched-earth rhetoric.<\/h2>\n<p>The \u200bclear disparity\u2062 between the\u200b authentic voices of farmworkers expressing their concerns\u2063 in public and the messages\u200d conveyed by professional activists to \u200clawmakers should make anyone skeptical of the exaggerated and aggressive rhetoric employed by these activist organizations.<\/p>\n<h2>Already Franks, FUJ, \u2062and the\u2062 connected organization Community to \u200bCommunity Development led by controversial labor activist Rosalinda Guillen have been documented to spread numerous falsehoods.<\/h2>\n<p>Franks, FUJ, and the affiliated organization Community to Community \u2064Development, led by the controversial labor activist Rosalinda Guillen, \u2064have already been exposed for\u2063 spreading multiple false claims.<\/p>\n<h2>These \u200cinclude an egregious false claim that\u200d a Sumas, Wash. blueberry \u200dfarm \u201cmurdered\u201d a worker that\u2063 passed away from diabetic complications\u2013a claim that \u200dwas disproved after three separate Washington \u200dDepartment of Labor\u200b and Industries investigations found the farm not responsible for the tragic death of Honesto Silva Ibarra.<\/h2>\n<p>One of these false claims \u200dinvolved a shocking accusation that a blueberry farm in Sumas, Washington, &#8220;murdered&#8221; a \u200bworker who tragically passed away due to diabetic complications. However, \u200bthree independent investigations \u2062conducted by the Washington Department of \u200bLabor and \u200dIndustries concluded that the farm was not responsible for the worker&#8217;s\u200c death.<\/p>\n<h2>Among the list\u2062 of false claims are \u2062the groups\u2019\u2064 repeated insistence that there is no worker shortage in Washington farming, claiming that abuse\u2063 of the federal H-2A guest worker program is \u201crampant,\u201d and most recently before the \u200bstate Senate Ag Committee saying Washington farmers are \u201cmaking record profits.\u201d<\/h2>\n<p>These organizations have made\u200d several false assertions, including their persistent denial of a \u200cworker shortage in Washington farming, their claim that \u2063the abuse\u200d of the \u2064federal H-2A guest worker program is widespread, \u2063and their recent statement before the state \u200dSenate Agriculture \u200cCommittee that Washington farmers are experiencing &#8220;record \u2063profits.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2>More \u2063and more leaders are questioning the\u2062 group\u2019s claims, and those questions have\u200c led to deep concern about the groups\u2019 true \u2063motives.<\/h2>\n<p>An increasing number of leaders are beginning to question the validity\u2064 of these organizations&#8217; claims, which has raised significant concerns about their true intentions.<\/p>\n<h2>Will our lawmakers continue inviting FUJ, Columbia \u2062Legal Services and Community \u2062to Community Development to represent farmworkers\u2019\u2064 interests in key meetings?<\/h2>\n<p>Should our lawmakers continue to \u200cextend invitations to FUJ, Columbia Legal Services,\u2064 and Community to Community \u200cDevelopment to advocate for \u2062the interests of farmworkers \u200din crucial meetings?<\/p>\n<h2>If the self-proclaimed advocates for the farmworker\u2064 community no \u200blonger speak for farmworkers,\u200c but instead only advance\u200d an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-gop-introduces-resolutions-to-expunge-trump-impeachment-votes\/\" title=\"House GOP introduces resolutions to erase Trump impeachment votes.\">extreme political agenda<\/a> that now appears\u2062 to \u2062be at odds with \u2062actual farmworkers\u2019 concerns, should these groups be representing the farmworker community at all?<\/h2>\n<p>If the self-proclaimed advocates for\u200c the farmworker community no longer truly represent the interests \u2062of farmworkers, \u2062but instead promote an extreme political agenda that\u2063 contradicts the genuine concerns of these workers, should these groups\u2062 continue to be the representatives of the farmworker community?<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How can we bridge the disconnect between what farmworkers are saying in public and what activists are telling lawmakers to ensure an accurate \u200brepresentation of the realities faced by\u2063 farmworkers<\/h2>\n<p><span>  G other \u200bfalse \u200bclaims spread by these organizations is the assertion that\u2064 farmers in \u2063Washington state do not pay their workers a living wage. However, data from the U.S. Department of Labor shows \u2064that the majority of farmworkers in the state earn above\u2063 the minimum wage, with many earning well above it.<\/p>\n<p>These false claims\u2063 perpetuate a narrative of victimhood and injustice that is \u2062not supported by \u200dthe facts. \u200cWhile there are certainly\u2063 challenges and concerns within\u200c the agricultural industry, it is important to have a truthful\u200b and balanced discussion \u2062about\u2063 these issues.<\/p>\n<p>It is crucial that the voices \u2063of genuine farmworkers are heard and represented accurately.\u200b Their experiences \u200band concerns should be at the forefront of any\u200b discussions\u200c or policy decisions regarding the agricultural industry. However, it is concerning\u2064 when professional activists,\u2063 who claim to advocate for these workers, remain silent or spread \u2064misinformation.<\/p>\n<p>This raises\u200c questions about the credibility \u200band motives of these activists. Are they truly \u200bworking in\u200b the\u2062 best interests of farmworkers, or \u200bdo they have other \u2063agendas? It is important to \u2062critically evaluate the claims\u200b and actions\u200d of these individuals and\u2063 organizations\u2064 to ensure that the rights and concerns of farmworkers are effectively addressed.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the disconnect between what farmworkers are saying \u2062in public and what activists are telling lawmakers is\u2064 troubling. It is important to listen to the \u200bauthentic voices of those directly affected \u200cby \u2062these issues and not \u2063simply rely on the rhetoric of professional activists. Their exaggerated \u2063and aggressive messaging may not accurately represent the reality on the \u200dground.<\/p>\n<p>In order \u2064to \u200deffectively\u200c address the\u2063 challenges faced by farmworkers, \u2062it is \u200dimportant \u2062to have open and honest dialogue based on accurate information.\u200b Solutions should be practical\u2064 and considerate of the complexities\u2063 involved. It is crucial for advocates\u200b to listen to the concerns \u200cof the workers \u2063they \u2064claim to\u200d represent and work towards\u200b genuine solutions that address their immediate struggles.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, the \u200dfocus\u2064 should be on finding common ground \u200band \u2063sustainable solutions,\u200c rather than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bloomberg-flubs-data-for-bombshell-report-that-only-6-of-new-corporate-hires-are-white\/\" title=\"Bloomberg's report on low white corporate hires is flawed.\">perpetuating false narratives<\/a> and engaging \u2064in divisive rhetoric. It is in\u200d the best \u2062interests\u200b of\u200c farmworkers and\u200b the agricultural industry as a whole to have\u200d honest \u2062and constructive discussions that lead \u2062to meaningful change.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In recent months, around 1,000 farm workers gathered at public rallies to express their worries about reduced wages caused by Washington state&#8217;s agricultural overtime law. Additionally, hundreds more shared their frustrations through video interviews conducted mainly in orchards and farm locations, highlighting the unintended negative effects of the new legislation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2149135","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2149135","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2149135"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2149135\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2149135"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2149135"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2149135"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}