Anti-guest worker activists are harming not just workers, but consumers too

Those trying to keep guest workers from having these high value jobs are hurting more than workers and farmers. We are now importing 20% of our food with major increases in food illnesses and pesticide residue. One big reason is the huge gap between what our farmers pay for labor vs. foreign farmers.  Our farmers pay 20 times more than foreign competitors and our farmers are losing out. If you care about safe food made in Washington and want to make sure that farm workers are well paid protected, then help us spread the word.

We're importing more food than ever. With it, more pesticides and illnesses.

​Rising labor costs in part caused by union activists are making it harder and harder for Washington's family farms to compete.

​Report shows how shortage of farm workers leads to increase in imported food

Union activists are causing more imported food and causing harm to consumers

We are importing 20% of our food from foreign producers

The problem is that with that increase comes an increase in food borne illnesses. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), "the number of outbreaks associated with an imported food increased from an average of 3 per year during 1996-2000 to an average of 18 per year during 2009–2014." 

Another issue is pesticide residue. The Food and Drug Administration reports that imported food is five times more likely to have pesticide residue above violation level than domestic food.

Worker shortage and high labor costs result in more imported food

Farmers are struggling to find the workers needed to harvest crops and do other farm work. The number of undocumented immigrants has declined significantly since 2009 causing a severe shortage of farm workers.

Washington farmers pay workers about $20 per hour with many earning more because of incentive pay. This is over 20 times more than most of their foreign competitors. Mexican minimum wage is $11 per day with other countries paying even less. Guest workers are also provided transportation and housing that must meet federal standards. Numerous labor laws protect farm workers – likely more than any other worker. These add about $1200 in costs per worker for a season.

Union organizers work to prevent farmers from using the guest worker program

Washington farmers hired 20,000 guest workers, mostly from Mexico, during the 2020 season. Before being allowed to bring these workers in with legal visas, the farms had to prove they had exhausted all efforts to hire domestic workers.

Union organizers, like Community to Community, fight against guest workers thinking the severe worker shortage provides opportunity to impose unions.

​In doing so, they harm workers who value these jobs. Washington guest workers returned $288 million to their families in Mexico in 2017 alone.

Taking these jobs takes food off the table of those who very much need it.

To stop guest workers, the activists attack farmers who hire them with vicious false accusations, file lawsuits and boycott major brands using the farms' products.

​They continue to insist a Sumas berry farm caused the death of a worker in 2017 when in-depth investigation by Labor & Industries and the Medical Examiner declared he died of natural causes unrelated to any working conditions.

Help us protect the right of workers to enjoy good jobs – and protect consumers at the same time

Farmworkers need your help to keep these high value jobs. Learn about the guest worker program, also called "H2A" for the legal visa these workers receive. Helping our family farmers secure the workers needed to produce our local, domestic food is in everyone's best interests.

Please consider joining our effort. ​