Solidarity rally with Ostrom workers on Jan. 13

Join mushroom workers, UFW and allies in Sunnyside as they demand respect, recognition

SUNNYSIDE, Wash. — The workers at Ostrom Mushroom Farms in Sunnyside are fighting for fair wages, safe working conditions, and respect on the job. A clear majority of them support joining together with United Farm Workers, but Ostrom management has refused to recognize the union or meet with its committee of workers.

Ostrom workers have marched and rallied to demand that Ostrom Mushroom Farms respond to their proposals and meet with them. They will continue to do so, and not stop until management respects its workers’ decision to unionize and negotiate for better wages and working conditions.

TAKE A STAND — All union members and community supporters are invited to join a solidarity rally with Ostrom workers at 3 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 13. Meet in front of Ostrom Mushroom Farms, 1111 Midvale Road in Sunnyside. Parking is available at 1080 Midvale Road.

Meanwhile, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a civil lawsuit last fall against Ostrom Mushroom Farms for discriminating against U.S. residents and women, retaliating against workers who spoke out, and abusing the H-2A system by systematically firing its majority-female Washington mushroom pickers and replacing them with H-2A foreign agricultural workers who were mostly male. The attorney general reports:

From January 2021 to May 2022, the company fired over 140 of its U.S.-based mushroom pickers, most of whom were women. Many of them already had years of experience working at the farm. During the same period, Ostrom hired 65 temporary, foreign agricultural workers under the federal H-2A program — all but two of whom were men. In addition, as the company was firing its majority female workers, it posted a job advertisement on Facebook seeking “only males” to work at the farm.

Ostrom’s treatment of its workers is unacceptable. It’s time for the community to stand with these workers are they demand fair wages and decent working conditions without retaliation. Join them on Friday, Jan. 13!