Judge's Fact Check

Three Washington Supreme Court Justices demonstrate remarkable ignorance of key facts about farmworkers and reveal deeply offensive prejudice.

A November 5, 2020 a ruling by five of the nine justices overturned a 61 year old state law that told farmers how to pay their employees. That opened the door wide to class action lawyers. Lawyers from as far away as Los Angeles jumped at the opportunity the court provided and now over 30 lawsuits have been filed against farmers. More are coming all the time. The lawyers are demanding three years back pay to employees. It doesn’t matter to them that farmers were following the law and did nothing wrong nor that farmworkers were well and fairly paid.

Even worse, now Senator Saldaña is demanding that all farmers pay three years back pay--and with penalties. It is terribly unjust to change the law and then punish people for following the law because it was suddenly changed. If a speed limit changed, should you be fined for each time you violated the new limit in the past? This unfair demand would destroy farms and the thousands of jobs that depend on them.

Does Senator Saldaña know the harm her actions would cause? Yes, because she heard from over 550 farmworkers, farmers and supporters who told her clearly in a senate hearing that their farms and jobs would be lost. (Watch the video on the Home page on this site.)

This problem is all based on the judges’ wrong opinions. These ideas appear to be shared by Senator Saldaña and lawmakers who support her.

Three judges signed an opinion that shows how far their understanding of farmworkers is from reality. Their opinion demonstrates remarkable ignorance of the facts, but much worse, it shows a great disregard for the dignity and pride of these hard working and productive people.

Read the detailed FACT CHECK, then download it and share it with all who care about farmworkers, their jobs and the farms where they work.

Meet Washington's Farmworkers

This video will put you face to face with dozens of Washington's more than 100,000 farmworkers. As you will hear they are harmed, hurt and angered by the opinions of three Washington Supreme Court justices and the decision by the five judges. 

Their false statements about farmworkers, their pay, their safety, their dignity are unbelievable and inexcusable. Worse, Senator Rebecca Saldaña is basing decisions to destroy thousands of farms and tens of thousands of farm jobs on these false and disturbing opinions.

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