Farmworkers continue to speak out about conditions at Sunnyside mushroom plant
Workers continue to speak out about conditions at a Sunnyside mushroom farm that changed hands earlier this year.
The owners of Ostrom Mushroom Farms sold the facility to Canadian mushroom grower Windmill Farms…
Workers with UFW spoke for the first time publicly about conditions at Windmill Farms, saying that they have not received sick days, the work environment is oppressive and local workers are being pushed out.
Windmill Farms officials say they are not affiliated with the former owners. They said they are focused on improving working conditions and the plant follows the law...
… the UFW said [Windmill Farms] fired workers and rehired them in different positions, including [former worker & union advocate Jose] Martinez.Windmill Farms said it offered employment to all employees at the facility, along with a benefits package for workers and their families...
… Windmill Farms CEO Clay Taylor said the new owners would try to keep Ostrom staff employed at the mushroom farm. He said he was pleased workers had agreed to stay on with Windmill Farms…
Windmill Farms also operates a mushroom farm in Ashburn, Ontario, Canada. Santiago Escobar, a representative for the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union in Canada, said he had received complaints from workers at Windmill Farms’ address there...
Windmill Farms did not comment on working conditions at facilities in Canada...