“From Our Hands to Your Table,” a social media campaign profiling 100 farm workers laboring in a variety of crops under union contracts, reminds Americans about who produces the food that graces their tables this holiday season. Farm workers—from California’s Central Valley, Central Coast and Wine Country to the dairies and vineyards of Oregon and Washington state—share images and videos as they describe the improved conditions and protections they enjoy as members of the United Farm Workers. (To view some worker profiles, visit https://www.facebook.com/unitedfarmworkers/ and https://twitter.com/UFWupdates )
What better time to recognize the women and men who play such a vital role in producing this nation’s agricultural bounty? Highlighted via social media are 100 workers from some of the nation’s most important farm regions who produce berries, vegetables, fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, wine grapes, dates, mangoes, dairy products and other food products destined for tables in the United States and abroad. Two to three new profiles are being posted each day through December.
“As American families sit down to give thanks on Thanksgiving and into the holiday season, farm workers ask them not to forget the people behind their food who help make the holidays possible,” says UFW President Arturo S. Rodriguez. “Farm workers covered by union contracts use social media to express thanks for the significant progress in pay and benefits they have made.
“They also express gratitude online for the legal protections their union has recently brought all California farm workers, such as last year’s law granting them overtime pay after eight hours a day and improved state rules to prevent death and illness from extreme heat,” Rodriguez continues. “Finally, workers use social media to give thanks for gains all farm workers have won such as new pesticide protections obtained under President Obama.”
Farm workers from California’s major agricultural regions are available for interviews, some from the fields, orchards and vineyards where they labor. Samples of farm worker profiles follow.
Miguel Godinez Martinez at D’Arrigo Brothers vegetable company in the Salinas Valley:
From Our Hands to Your Tables: Miguel Martinez, Lettuce Worker
From Our Hands to Your Tables: Check out the romaine lettuce we enjoy in our salads from a farm worker’s perspective. Miguel stacks an average of 3,000 boxes per day at D’Arrigo Brothers, where he has a UFW contract. Each box weighs from 38-42lbs. Listen to Miguel talk about his contract and then join us in thanking Miguel for all his hard work! #ThankAFarmworker #WeFeedYou #Thanksgiving / Revisemos la lechuga romana que tanto nos encanta desde la mirada de un campesino. Miguel apila en promedio 3,000 cajas por día en D’Arrigo Brothers donde la UFW tiene un contrato. Cada caja pesa entre 38 a 42. ¡Escucha a Miguel hablar de su contrato y luego únete a nosotros para agradecer a Miguel por su arduo trabajo! #ThankAFarmworker #WeFeedYou #Thanksgiving
Posted by UFW on Tuesday, November 14, 2017
Saul Vargas at Monterey Mushrooms company in Watsonville, Calif.:
From Our Hands To Your Tables: Mushroom worker Saul Vargsas, M…
From Our Hands To Your Tables: Mushroom worker Saul Vargsas is proud of the benefits of his UFW contract including how it offers a scholarship program. He is even prouder of his daughter Esmerelda winning one of these scholarships and going to college. Let’s thank farm workers like Saul by buying the product they work so hard to bring to our tables this #Thanksgiving season. #WeFeedYou #ThankAFarmworker / Saul Vargas, trabajador del hongo, está orgulloso de los beneficios de su contrato de la UFW incluyendo el programa de becas que ofrece. Esta aún más orgulloso de su hija Esmeralda por haber Ganado una de estas becas para la universidad. Agradezcamos a los campesinos como Saul al comprar el producto que ellos arduamente cosechan para que llegue a nuestras mesas en esta temporada festiva. #Thanksgiving #WeFeedYou #ThankAFarmworker
Posted by UFW on Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Odilia Aldana at D’Arrigo Brothers vegetable company in the Salinas Valley:
From Our Hands to Your Tables: Vegetable worker Odelia Aldana
From Our Hands to Your Tables: Vegetable worker Odelia Aldana has been working for D’Arrigo Brothers for 22 years. She is very pleased with the benefits her UFW contract provides as well as the respect and dignity the workers are now guaranteed. #WeFeedYou #ThankAFarmworker #Thanksgiving / De nuestras manos a sus mesas: Odelia Aldana trabajadora de la verdura ha trabajado en D’Arrigo Brothers por 22 años. Esta muy complacida con los beneficios de su contrato de la UFW y con el respeto y dignidad que ahora se les garantiza a los trabajadores. #WeFeedYou #ThankAFarmworker #Thanksgiving
Posted by UFW on Saturday, November 18, 2017
Fortunato Tapia at Chateau Ste. Michelle winery in Washington state:
Fortunato Tapia
From Our Hands to Your Tables: Fortunato Tapia picks the grapes that produce Washington State’s Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery's wine. He says to all of those who are watching his video, that we invite you to try the wine that we make here. #WeFeedYou #ThankAFarmworker #Thanksgiving / Fortunato Tapia cosecha las uvas que producen el vino de Chateau Ste. Michelle en el estado de Washington. Les pide a todos mirando este video, que prueben el vino que hacemos aquí. #WeFeedYou #ThankAFarmworker #Thanksgiving
Posted by UFW on Friday, November 17, 2017
Ernesto Pacheco at H.M.S. Agricultural Corp. citrus groves in California’s Coachella Valley:
From Our Hands to Your Tables: Farm worker Ernesto Pacheco, Co…
From Our Hands to Your Tables: Working in Coachella CA is hard work. The temperature often goes above 120° in the summer. Farm worker Ernesto Pacheco talks about how pleased he is with the medical plan he gets under his UFW contract. #ThankAFarmworker #WeFeedYou #Thanksgiving / Trabajar en Coachella CA es un arduo trabajo. Muy a menudo las temperaturas sobrepasan 120° en el verano. El campesino Ernesto Pacheco habla de lo complacido que esta con su plan médico que recibe bajo su contrato de la UFW #ThankAFarmworker #WeFeedYou #Thanksgiving
Posted by UFW on Thursday, November 16, 2017
Juan Manuel Rosales at Wonderful Agricultural Management almond orchards in Madera Calif.:
From Our Hands to Your Tables: Juan Manuel Rosales, Almonds
From Our Hands to Your Tables: Juan Manuel Rosales works for the Wonderful Agricultural Management, LLC where he’s pruning almond trees. He usually works 9 hours a day, 6 days a week and prunes 130-140 trees a day. Juan shares that he & his co-workers work with great joy and enthusiasm because they have clean water, bathrooms and adequate shade in the hot season.. He says, this company is totally different from other companies where I have worked…it is a very nice place to work thanks to our union contract. #WeFeedYou #ThankAFarmworker #Thanksgiving / Juan Manuel Rosales trabaja para la compañía Wonderful Company donde poda los arboles de almendras. Usualmente trabaja 9 horas al día, 6 días a la semana y poda entre 130 a 140 árboles al día. Juan nos comparte que él y sus compañeros trabajan con entusiasmo porque tiene agua limpia, baños y sombra adecuada duran la temporada de calor. Él dice, “Esta compañía es totalmente diferente a otras compañías en las cuales he trabajado…es un muy buen lugar para trabajar gracias a nuestro contrato sindical”. #WeFeedYou #ThankAFarmworker #Thanksgiving
Posted by UFW on Sunday, November 19, 2017
Esmeralda Vargas, daughter of a Monterey Mushrooms union member in Watsonville, Calif.:
From Our Hands To Your Table: Esmeralda Vargas
From Our Hands To Your Table: Esmeralda Vargas is a daughter of Saul Vargas, who been a union member of the Monterey Mushrooms Watsonville for 18 years. Esmerelda is the winner of a UFW scholarship offered to union members and their families. Esmeralda shares, “I have personally worked in the fields and I know the hard work behind it. The food put out on your plate requires time, work and effort done by farm workers. Working in the fields was such a great experience. I learned a lot, especially how to value my education more. The United Farm Workers offers scholarships for students who seek a better education. I was a scholarship recipient and I thank the United Farm Workers for giving me a chance to reach a higher education. #WeFeedYou #ThankAFarmWorker #ThanksgivingEsmeralda Vargas es hija de Saul Vargas, miembro de La Unión, y el a trabajado para la compañía de Monterey Mushrooms por 18 años. Esmeralda fue recipiente de la beca de Unión de Campesinos. Esmeralda comparte con nosotros, “Hola mi nombre es Esmeralda Vargas y el contrato de Unión De Campesinos a beneficiado a mi y a mi familia. El contrato de Unión De Campesinos tiene muchos beneficios, algunos de ellos incluye días festivos pagados y aseguranza médica para la familia. Personalmente yo sé lo que es trabajar en el fiel y el esfuerzo que se requiere. La comida que ahora está en tu plato requiere mucho tiempo, trabajo y esfuerzo de los campesinos. Trabajando en el fiel fue una gran experiencia en donde aprendí de todo, especialmente en valorar el estudio. La Unión De Campesinos ofrece becas para los estudiantes que se quieren superar. Yo fui recipiente de la beca y le agradezco a La Unión De Campesinos por darme la oportunidad de estudiar en una universidad. Si Se Puede!”
Posted by UFW on Monday, November 20, 2017
Christina Escobedo at Papagni wine grape company in Madera, Calif.:
From Our Hands to Your Tables: Cristina, wine grapes
From Our Hands to Your Tables: Have you ever tried Papagni Wine? Cristina is one of the workers who helps bring it to your table and wants to tell you why her contract is so important to her. #ThankAFarmworker #WeFeedYou #Thanksgiving / ¿Han probado el vino Papagni? Cristina es una de las trabajadoras que ayudan a ponerlo en tu mesa y quiere decirte porque su contrato es tan importante. #ThankAFarmworker #WeFeedYou #Thanksgiving
Posted by UFW on Sunday, November 19, 2017
Guillermo Garcia at Muranaka Farms vegetable company in Oxnard, Calif.:
From Our Hands To Your Tables: Guillermo Garcia, vegetable worker
From Our Hands To Your Tables: Oxnard vegetable worker Guillermo Garcia shares how his favorite part of having a UFW contract is how he could speak directly with the supervisor without being afraid of being fired like other farm workers without the union. #ThankAFarmworker #WeFeedYou #Thanksgiving / Guillermo García trabajador de la verdura en Oxnard nos comparte como su parte favorita de tener un contrato de la UFW es el poder hablar directamente con su supervisor sin tener miedo a ser despedido como muchos campesinos sin contrato sindical. #ThankAFarmworker #WeFeedYou #Thanksgiving
Posted by UFW on Thursday, November 16, 2017
Crecencio Camacho at Garguilo Inc. fresh tomato company in Mendoza, Calif.:
I’m very proud to be part of the negotiating committee on behalf of the workers. To me it’s an honor when I’m in front…
Posted by UFW on Tuesday, November 14, 2017
People are being asked to share the hash tags #ThankAFarmWorker and #WeFeedYou
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