WA Tulip Worker Strike Enters Third Day
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Skagit County tulip farmworkers entered a third day of a strike in Mount Vernon on Thursday.
According to Familias Unidas por la Justicia, two crews of Washington Bulb Company went on strike due to poor working conditions. The claims are related to mistreatment and low wages.
During live streaming through the organization’s Facebook profile, Ramon Torres, president of the Familias Unidas por la Justicia union, explained the workers’ motives for suspending their activities. The is a translation of what he said in Spanish:
“The workers are being mistreated, they are being exploited and we can no longer hide this.”
In an official statement, also posted on social media, Washington Bulb Company stated that a small number of employees were actively involved in the strike.
The company said a miscalculation of the daily performance bonus for two groups of field equipment is the main problem. Unintentionally, says the statement, “one group was mistakenly overcompensated while one group was mistakenly undercompensated. We have communicated with our employees to resolve this concern and made the decision to compensate all groups at the higher bonus level.”
Today the workers delivered a letter to the company expressing their demands.
The protest comes one week before the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival begins.
