Episode 94: Edgar Franks, Empowering Farmworkers with Familias Unidas por La Justicia
The Checkout speaks with Edgar Franks, Political Director of Familias Unidas por La Justicia in Washington State.
Farmworker organizing is the among the most important aspects of repairing the food system. Farmworkers have been left out of basic labor protections and are mostly immigrants, guest workers and the undocumented. They do the jobs that no one else will, at wages and working conditions that most of us wouldn’t tolerate and probably couldn’t handle. Almost all food grown in the U.S. uses this exploited and underpaid farm labor force, whether conventional, Organic or GMO. Farmworkers must have a seat at the table and lead the way towards a fair and just food system.
Edgar Franks is the Political Director for the independent union of farm workers, Familias Unidas por la Justicia, which was founded in 2013. The members of Familias Unidas are Mixteco and Triqui. It is the only union in the United States that is led by indigenous people. His responsibilities include keeping members informed of legislation and laws that affect rural people and immigrants, as well as supporting the members in whatever way they need.
Edgar was in Yakima in 2020 to support the organizing efforts of fruit processing workers that went on strike and also represented Farmworker interests in the overtime for farmworkers bill this pas legislative session. Edgar also represents the union in other national and international alliances. It is part of Labor Network for Sustainability where they form strategies to support workers and protect the environment. He also serves on the Agricultural and Seasonal Workforce Services Advisory Committee to provide oversight on the H2A program in Washington State and recommendations to state agencies.
https://twitter.com/fujwashington
https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/farmworkers-unionize-for-covid-safety/
https://southseattleemerald.com/2021/07/21/seedcast-getting-back-to-the-dirt/#more-71244
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Episode #94 Notes
:30 The political-economic context for farm workers in the US, and its exclusion from labor laws.
3:00 How does immigration policy related to farm worker rights?
6:00 Where do a lot of farm workers come from in the US?
8:30 On agriculture in the Skagit Valley in Washington State.
12:30 On recent farm worker labor unrest and organizing in Washington State.
20:00 How have farm workers been treated during COVID?
27:00 How has climate change and extreme heat impacted farm workers?
33:00 How are farm workers organizing around food soverignty?
40:00 Closing thoughts.
