Yakima – The work that Cesar Chavez started nearly 50 years ago to protect the rights of farm workers remains just as vital today, a representative of the union Chavez founded told a crowd of advocates in Yakima on Saturday.

A celebration of the late Chavez’s March 31 birthday prompted slightly more than 100 farm workers and their supporters to march from the Southeast Yakima Community Center to Yakima Valley Community College.

All told, about 150 people gathered at the college to hear remarks from Jorge Valenzuela, the Northwest representative for the United Farm Workers.

Chavez helped found the UFW’s predecessor in the 1960s, and his efforts soon spread to the Yakima Valley. The UFW celebrates its 50th anniversary in May.

Valenzuela recalled for the crowd how Chavez was once asked how he would want people to remember him. Chavez responded, “If you want to remember me, organize,” Valenzuela said.

The UFW organized its first Washington workers in 1995, at the Chateau Ste. Michelle wineries. Since then, several hundred workers at other agricultural operations in the state have persauded employers to negotiate with them.

“We are definitely making progress,” Valenzuela said in interview after his presentation.

Unlike most other industries, farm workers do not fall under the authority of the National Labor Relations Board, which means they can’t force a unionization vote. Still, Valenzuela said the union has seen success, although collective representation of an entire industry in Washington has not been achieved.

Valenzuela told the audience that the UFW is currently measuring the chances of organizing workers at members of the Darigold cooperative. The efforts started several years ago at a Tri-Cities dairy where workers claim they suffered from poor working conditions and then were threatened or fired over attempts to organize. The dairy has rejected the allegations and filed a lawsuit in response to one filed by the workers.

The outcome of the Darigold campaign will depend on what workers want, Valenzuela said. “I don’t think any union can say their job is done,” he said.

A Darigold representative could not be reached for comment Saturday.

Valenzuela and organizers of Saturday’s peace march said the event represents the best of what Chavez wanted to see emerge from his efforts to galvanize farm workers into action — the community coming together to advocate for their rights.