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In 1996 the wage was 45 pesos. Kathryn Perkins Driscoll's may be the U.S.'s most recognizable brand name on strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and blackberry cartons. We arrived the next day and began to ask them to pay us five cents more, so it would be 30 a pound. (Photo: David Bacon) The right to be human is for everyone. How Ros Strawberries And Other Specialty Berries Will Help Driscoll's Driscoll's produce has faced some steep obstacles over the past few months. Were the same people from Oaxaca. After the war, the Skagit Valley property the family had worked hard to acquire was, remarkably, returned to them by a neighbor who had cared for it in their absence. When the farmworkers demanded a collective bargaining agreement, the supervisors sent in the police. And for my career, I want it to be like acting and singing. Berries FAQs | Driscoll's Explore the rest of the October 2016 Issue, 8th & I Streets But although they pay by the hour, they demand 50 pounds per hour to get $10. (R), Sakuma Farms sells its berries through Driscolls, the worlds largest berry distributor. He is also an advocate for disclosing the truth. The stories of disadvantaged workers are familiar to the Sakuma family. That family housing is right next to our offices. We started to talk about why the boycott started. FUJ says this sort of discrepancy in pay is the reason they want to move beyond the piece rate wage and instead institute a flat $15 per hour pay rate. They smell good, too. Driscolls declined to provide the names of the other suppliers, which were described as small, locally owned farms. Hell begin negotiations with farmworkers today for a union contract. Performance & security by Cloudflare. After that the people who didnt want to have anything to do with us began wanting to talk with us. We are thrilled to share that the Driscoll's berry boycott is over. These Grocery Items Are Being Recalled Nationwide LAURA GOTTESDIENER: In 2014, Sakuma settled a lawsuit alleging it had stolen wages and denied worker breaks. Its like the only way I can get a job, soand its the only way I can like help my family. The berries she packages are often sold under the Driscolls brand in Costco, Whole Foods, Target and a host of other American grocery stores. And then like the roof, when it rains, sometimes like water gets in. Berry Innovators Joy begins with a delicious berry, and our consistently sweet berries start with the Joy Makers. No matter whether they work in Washington State, California, or Mexico, blueberry pickers perform exhausting work. FUJ and surrounding Boycott Committees will be at Driscolls headquarters in Watsonville, CA demanding that Driscolls do the right thing and get their suppliers to negotiate union contracts. Click to reveal Driscoll's Strawberries Were Recalled Over Pesticide Concerns But contact with this pesticide can still result in some nasty conditions. We want you to join us! In 1996 I got to San Quintin [in Baja California] with my older brother. RICHARD BRIM: Do you want to sit up front with Danny, and John and I will sit in the back? However, as Driscoll's explained to Mashed in an emailed statement, the recall is now "terminated," so you're safe to buy any new packages of fresh strawberries the next time you head to the grocery store. They have a lot of integrity. 27 AdhesivenessOk2215 1 yr. ago I know what you mean, but these look really good, are still firm, and have almost no soft spots on them. The judge struck down a requirement for only Atlanta residents to be allowed to collect signatures for the referendum. That same year, massive protests broke out at Driscolls farms down in San Quintn Valley in Mexico. Nowyou know, now there are some holes in the exterior of the walls. We are all part of a movement of Indigenous people. Avoid buying Driscolls strawberries until they can prove that they are concerned with the community. There was no bathroom then. One grower from the region, DeWayne Hafen, also questioned the BerryMex wage figures. All housing is provided to workers free of charge. For that reason Im very grateful for the movement theyve organized. All you need is a Username and a Password of your choosing and you are free to comment whenever you like! | No Other Way Than to Struggle: The Farmworker-Led Boycott of Driscoll's Berries When the farmworkers demanded a collective bargaining agreement, the supervisors sent in the police. Since 2013, some workers launched a series of walkouts, picket lines and lawsuits over alleged labor violations. Thank you to everyone who participated in the boycott with us! They try to act like they care about the community. The workers, many of whom are undocumented indigenous Mixteco or Triqui from the Mexican state of Oaxaca, were marching to commemorate the third anniversary of their dispute. Driscolls and Haagen-Dazs are Sakumas largest accounts. [1] In 2017, it controlled roughly one-third of the $6 billion U.S. berry market. The average earnings, as part of the increased wages, bonuses and benefits weve announced and implemented are entirely accurate, Hector Lujan, BerryMexs chief operating officer, said Friday. In the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, the family was forced to give up their farm and was forcibly relocated to concentration camps. When the workers struck last year, even though I was working at another company I went out there. Special thanks to Democracy Now!s Laura Gottesdiener and John Hamilton for this report. They just put bags in the holes and it still leaked. I haven't been able to find any more recent information. They have a good way of thinking. Specialty Berries | Driscoll's They say that under optimal conditions workers earn no more than $3 an hour, and that after peak harvest periods, pay drops to about half that amount. Thats why the company says now it wants to negotiate with us. In San Quintin the majority of people are Indigenous. Get the news you want, delivered to your inbox every day. (Workers are, for the most part, paid largely by how much produce they pick rather than by the hour.). Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. The irony is not lost on the workers' organizers. She also spoke to Sakuma Brothers Farms CEO Danny Weeden. He wants the workers' union to sign a memorandum of understanding that would legally bind the workers to the same standards established in the National Labor Relations Act, which regulates the activities of other labor unions but doesnt extend to farmworkers. Farm Workers in Two Countries Boycott Driscoll's Berries About Us | Driscoll's Were not happy about the way we got drawn into it. But when hes not protesting, hes at home singing. A former union organizer for 30 years, David Bacon's photoessays and stories seek to capture the courage of people struggling for social and economic justice in countries around the world. Sweet, juicy, and delicious! Leon Kaye has written for 3p since 2010 and become executive editor in 2018. Your IP: Driscolls berries (any variety) have a QR code and a manual type in code to do a survey on that package of berries. But some of those Alleging Labor Abuses, U.S . more than 7 years ago. The supervisors and foremen shout at them and push them hard. WATSONVILLE and SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif, March 15, 2022 One year after announcing their joint research and development work to grow strawberries indoors, Driscoll's BB #:116044, the leading consumer brand in fresh premium berries, and Plenty Unlimited Inc., BB #:356949 are expanding their relationship to build a new indoor vertical farm ded. studios their rendition of The Beatles "Strawberry Fields Forever," a tribute to migrant workers. This comment was posted by Abe Zubow, not "Joe" who has been thrown out of every gym in Hollister. We talk about the tactics we use and I told him about our history. LAURA GOTTESDIENER: And are you in high school? We see bunk beds with rusted bed frames, a wooden roof. And in 2022, Driscoll's faced another produce recall over an issue with its strawberries. My brother is still living there, and his children are grown up now. Abe is telling the truth and what does he being tossed from the YMCA for telling the truth have to do whith the truth. His photographs and stories can be foundhereandhere. Can you chip in to get us closer to our goal? By Laura Gottesdiener, Democracy Now! LAURA GOTTESDIENER: Because you were living in the camp. Hasta al Fin, The Boycott Coordination Team. The 2022 recall, classified as a Class III recall, indicates that the amount of pesticide detected on each strawberry shouldn't cause problems on that scale but should still be avoided. Like just like right away, like at the same day, you get fired and then you have to find a place to stay. Even in the depths of winter it's easy to bite into a plump blackberry or a delicate red raspberry, thanks to Driscoll's, the world's largest berry company. People in Santa Maria and Madera in California are supporting us too. more than 7 years ago, https://boycottsakumaberries.com/campaign-updates/, Anonymous That amount is inaccurate, farmworker leaders and several current and former BerryMex workers said. Under ideal conditions, blueberries should keep for 5-7 days in your refrigerator. But Driscolls is the only one with a global brand, making the company both admired and vulnerable. But when I went to deliver the fruit, sometimes my bag had extra blueberries, two or three pounds more. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, $600,000 in stolen wine: Inside one of Californias biggest high-end alcohol heists, He built a booming black market empire inside L.A. County jails. And the reason we offer 15 years and older is that its because the workers, when they come in with their families, if they have a 15- or 16- or 17-year-old, they would like them to be out in the field working with them. No matter if youre from Guatemala or Honduras, Chiapas or Guerrero. Were asking for your support, because workers there in Mexico are earning between $6 and $7 for 12 to 15 hours of work. This year there have been more strikes like this, and more boycott demonstrations. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) --- A quarrel over lucrative California strawberry strains withered in court Tuesday after a federal judge picked apart a corporate seller's patent infringement lawsuit against the former chief of a legendary breeding institute. Same with Driscolls and BerryMex. In 2015, some 30,000 farmworkers in San Quintn Valley went on strike to demand better pay and conditions. The animosity toward the California company and its main grower in San Quintin, BerryMex, comes as farmworker leaders struggle to keep pressure on the industry after last months rare strike by thousands of farmworkers. The company claims it pays about US$12 an hour, which is even higher than Seattles living wageand employees supposedly can become eligible for benefits such as paid vacation, health insurance and even participation in the firms 401(k) program. Recently farmworkers have reported that packinghouse workers have boxed berries in Driscolls containers instead of Sakuma-branded cases, which instigated FUJ to start the boycott. What a JOKE! To see their full performance, go to democracynow.org. But as the demand for fresh berries, and plant varietals that can grow in regions otherwise hostile to berry growing, are on the increase, so are disruptions in the companys supply chain. We planned to go back to Oaxaca afterwards, but when wed been there for six months we had no money. Were in charge of the boycott throughout the United States. Eureka, CA 95501 They later were able to purchase some property which they farmed and built a house in which to live.. The Progressive Inc. publishes The Progressive magazine plus Progressive.org and Public Schools Advocate. Because of the requirement for space, there are only three mattresses. At each stop union president Ramon Torres and union member Lazaro Matamora have called for local boycott committees to continue the boycott of Driscoll's berries at Costco and Whole Foods until union contracts are signed by Familias Unidas por la Justicia in WA and El Sindicato Independiente Nacional Democrtico de Jornaleros Agricolas in Mexico. I caught up with 16-year-old Alfredo Jurez and his 10-year-old brother lvaro at a nearby park. The $9 figure, he said, isnt possible. And I wanted to go home, so I asked my mom. On September 4, we received word from Familias Unidas por la Justicia (FUJ) that they had "officially agreed to an election and negotiation process for a collective bargaining agreement with Sakuma Bros. Berry Farm." While we certainly were encouraged by Sakuma approaching us initially, unfortunately, the recent press statements and actions by Sakuma, are far from encouraging, says a statement from the group. They pay the police, who then shoot at the people. Until then BOYCOTT DRISCOLLS!! This story was updated on July 19 to include new information provided by the Sakuma Brothers and more discussion of how workers are paid. Everyone involved in our union in Washington is Indigenous also. But University of Washington student Elizabeth Alvarado says the fact that many families return each year isnt necessarily evidence of a happy workforce. It was very hard work, because they have a trailer for the tomatoes, and Im short. About one-quarter of the berries Driscolls gets from Baja come from growers other than BerryMex. Another worker, Alicia Hrnandez, 18, of Oaxaca says she recently worked a 10-hour day and came away with $40 in pay. Driscoll's is a California -based seller of fresh strawberries and other berries. I tried two and my husband tried one also. "Theyve done a lot of work in the years to make the adjustments necessary, he says. My niece now has kids. They rented land and turned an abandoned chicken coop on the rented farm into their home shelter. The CEO (Andy Weighill) claims every penny goes to the disabled and the poor. They mistreated us. Thats the worst thing Ive seen in the San Quintin Valley. So we have a15 years is the minimum. They were pleased to see their efforts pressured Sakuma into considering the union contract, but concerned about the terms of Sakumas memorandum and a breach of confidentiality they say was agreed upon prior to the meeting. Europe looks to Senegal for new energy supply. Driscolls, the worlds largest berry distributor, began importing produce from Baja Californias San Quintin Valley more than 20 years ago. Farmworkers' Union Calls for Boycott Against Driscoll's - TriplePundit Mexican farmworkers target Driscoll's, a firm with labor-friendly image Since then, Driscolls farmworkers have been organizing together on both sides of the border. When we were on strike in 2013, many of us didnt speak Spanish well. Boycott Driscolls! So the people asked, are you going to arrest us all? Plastic Pollution is Plaguing Coral Reefs. The Fluoride Action Network states that acute exposure to this chemical can lead to liver conditions, bone density problems, endocrine system complications, and more. The demand is that they sign a union contract with us and that they give us good conditions for housing and work, better salaries, medical plans, pensions, and that they remove our children from the fields. Once you join the panel (free to join), they will email you with a coupon link that can be printed out twice! Driscolls also sells the berries they pick, and they joined the boycott. They cheated us on the pounds of berries. Nothing happens around here without people. In late 2018, I traveled to the Pajaro Valley, west of Santa Cruz, for a tour of a Driscoll's research facility, which provided an eye-opening view into how this family-owned . I couldnt do it, and I had to stand on something, and the bucket weighs more than 30 pounds. A third generation Sakuma Brothers employee, Alvarado started working at the farm at age 12. The government has its role, but Driscolls has to talk with its growers, like BerryMex, and ensure that theyre paying the workers well. I dont care how good you are, it aint happening, Hafen said. The issue may not reach far beyond the Pacific Northwest, but the old web links will linger and be found by consumers researching Driscolls in the future as more of them will be vetting the companies from which the purchase their favorite products. We were there a year. He was one of the original strikers when the union was organized in 2013. Sometimes we feel tired. (L)In the spring of 2015, berry pickers in northern Mexico went on strike to demand higher wages. We ask the public to grow their own berries and support the boycott against Driscolls, says Torres. We were all working me, my sister, my older brother and his wife and two kids but wed all pick tomatoes and cucumbers just to have something to eat. This was farmworkers leading an international day of action calling for a boycott at Driscolls, the largest berry distributor in the world. In that time, the California-based company has cultivated an image of social responsibility in an industry better known for its faults. A former union organizer for 30 years, David Bacon's photoessays and stories seek to capture the courage of . And that day, we arrived and worked and picked for about eight hours, more or less, maybe eight-and-a-half. I think thats no good. Energy & Environment Farmworkers' Union Calls for Boycott Against Driscoll's Words by Leon Kaye Apr 06, 2015 It was not that long ago when buying berries meant settling for canned or frozen. Get daily news, in-depth reporting and critical analysis from the journalists, activists and thinkers who are working to improve our world.. Federal agencies have been padding their environmental stats with the cheap, carbon-heavy strategy of burning trash. At some point in the future, Ill be going back to Mexico. Finally, in contrast to the unions demands, Sakuma claims it had negotiated in good faith, but that FUJ left the talks. In early 2020, Driscoll's and others across the fresh berry industry made a joint pledge to achieve 100% recycle-ready packaging by 2025. Tap to enable a layout that focuses on the article. ALFREDO JUREZ: Yeah, Im a junior at Burlington. Im Amy Goodman, as we turn to another protest that happened here in the Northwest on Saturday. About an hour north of Seattle, in Burlington, Washington, berry pickers have been organizing for three years at Sakuma Brothers Farms, one of the farms where Driscolls buys its berries. Driscoll's - Wikipedia Only about 30 percent of blueberries grown at the farm are sold fresh. Seventeen farmworkers died in U.S. fields last year, including two strawberry pickers, according to reports filed with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Update: Driscoll's contacted us to share a statement with their position on farmworker wages and inviting the Fair Worker Project Driscoll HQ for a meeting to discuss the issue. Then my brother said we should buy a plot between all of us, to give us a place to live. While the United Farm Workers of America has union contracts across the country, the protesters' group would be one of just a few regional organizations representing farm workers. Berries and Boycotts - Co-op News Both last year and this year the people have walked out on strike because they didnt agree with the wages. For many its a hallmark of summer. Many of them come up to Washington in the berry season, and are working at Sakuma right now. Felimon Pieda is vice president of Familias Unidas por la Justicia, the independent farm workers union in Washington state. They said Sakuma no longer leases Campo Rojo, where we were earlier this day, and that Sakuma workers are all well paid. We were getting home at five in the evening and the children were all eating their food cold because we couldnt make the stove work. Growers say laborers went back to work after accepting generous wage hikes. Excerpt: "I am Felimon Pineda, and the people elected me as the vice president of Families United for Justice. About an hour north of Seattle in Burlington, Washington, berry pickers have been organizing for three years at Sakuma Brothers Farms, one of the farms where Driscoll's buys berries. In response to the unrest, Sakuma Brothers suspended its use of the H2-A program after just one year, but workers demands for better treatment have continued. But they complain that the company shortchanges workers on some required benefits, imposes onerous work quotas and exaggerates its wage levels. It was one room, very small. Finally the police said that if we didnt move out of the field, into a public place, theyd have to do what they came there for. You have to lift the bucket full of tomatoes to about nine feet. All my childrens clothes were wet., In the summer of 2013, Sakuma workers went on strike and organized an independent union, Familias Unidas por la Justicia. Some of them have some hole in this, and some like little bed bugs and stuff like that. He previously reported from the U.S.-Mexico border. Most pickers fill about 30 boxes a day during peak harvest periods, earning about $3.50 an hour, he said. Your tax-deductible donation today will keep Truthout going strong and allow us to bring you the stories that matter most the ones that you wont see in mainstream news. And now, workers are ready to create a union contract for picking them. RAMN TORRES: [translated] Here we are in the fields in the red camp, which Sakuma leased on a yearly basis for the workers. also called Driscolls and asked its executive vice president of the Americas, Soren Bjorn, about the farmworkers call for a Driscolls boycott. "Dick" Driscoll grew the first strawberries in California's Parajo Valley. But sometimes people see us as being very low. LAURA GOTTESDIENER: On Saturday, during the international day of action, Gloria Gracida, a representative of the San Quintn farmworkers, spoke out at a protest at a Whole Foods Market in San Diego, California. But the supervisor said like, "If you guys dont get back to work, your wholeyou guys all will get fired, and then you guys will find someplace to live." AMY GOODMAN: La Santa Cecilia, performing in the Democracy Now! One example is that they donate to the Central Coast YMCA. Driscoll pays the sublicensees for planting the strawberries, at a rate he establishes in his discretion ($200.00 per acre in 1976). From Ambition to Action: Owens Corning Moves to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions, This Effort Targets Methane Reductions on Smallholder Farms, Our Land, Our Farms, Our Future: Healthy Land Means Healthy People, Honey Bees May Soon Take Probiotics to Improve Their Health, Electrifying Agriculture and Construction, One Machine at a Time, Xylem Looks to Raise Awareness of America's Rural Water Crisis, Onsite Solar Isnt as Easy as It Looks: How Manufacturers Can Get It Done, A Flitter of Hope: How Companies Can Protect Monarch Butterflies, Limitless Supply of Seawater to Help Accelerate the Transition to Green Hydrogen, Setting the Standard for More Sustainable Agriculture in New Zealand. In 2013, at one point, we were negotiating with the company to improve the working conditions for all the workers at Sakuma Brothers. No company would donate any amount of money to a dishonest, corrupt and dishonest non-profit. The fresh berries are sold under the name Driscolls, the worlds largest distributor of berries. DANNY WEEDEN: We do. Explore Sweetness Worth Sharing Explore the berry patch Strawberries Raspberries Blueberries Blackberries Organic Specialty Savor the summertime sweetness Explore recipes Sweetness worth a thousand words And then she said, if Im like not feeling well, we should go home. It ended with his murder, Commentary: George Kliavkoff and the new Pac-9 learn a hard lesson. With the threats they received, that could affect me too. Those guys treat their employees really well. This recall was initiated on Feb. 9 but was recently classified by the FDA as a Class II recall, which is "a situation . Many community groups have called for a boycott in order to pressure Driscoll's customers to use their buying power to ensure that farm workers score better wages, housing, and working . LAURA GOTTESDIENER: CEO Danny Weeden, do you have a senseI know that some of the workers have called for a $15 minimum wage. Housing units built for single male workers at Sakuma Bros. The union advocating for the workers, Familias Unidas por la Justia (FUJ), has decided to play the boycott card in order to pressure Driscolls to use its buying power to ensure that farmworkers employed at Sakuma score better wages, housing and working conditions.