After much reluctance to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the farmworker community is running out of options to say "no." An estimated 35% of Central Valley farmworkers say they do not want to get vaccinated, and much of their hesitancy stems from misinformation they see on social media and in the...
House Passes Pathways to Citizenship For Dreamers & Farmworkers, Heads to Senate
Democratic bills opening a gateway to citizenship for over 3 million young “Dreamers” and immigrant farm worker passed the House of Representatives Thursday, but Republican opposition means any legislation on the issue faces a steep climb before it can reach President Joe Biden's desk. Joined by nine Republicans, Democrats passed...
California Farming Country Buckles Under COVID-19. Will Pandemic Make or Break the Valley?
By Dale Kalser, Manuela Tobias, and Tony Bizjak She was afraid of catching the coronavirus – so fearful, in fact, that she switched jobs to pack tomatoes for an employer who seemed to be taking the right precautions. But Maria Claudia Garcia got sick anyway. A farmworker from Venezuela living in the San...
Investigation: COVID Rips Through Motel Rooms of Guest Workers Who Pick Nation’s Produce
By Jackie Botts and Kate Cimini Beto V. heard the ambulance pull up to the Colonial Motel where he was quarantined by his employer, police sirens close behind. That was his first clue a fellow farmworker had died of COVID-19. Beto, who used a shortened version of his name for...
California Farmworkers Need Protection During Coronavirus Crisis; Here’s a Relief Package to Help
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the White House is reportedly working behind the scenes to reduce wages for farmworkers. According to a recent National Public Radio report, the Trump administration claims that cutting wages for farmworkers will help agricultural businesses struggling during the current crisis. This is exactly the...
Will House Caucus Deliver on COVID-19 Support for Farmworkers?
Rep. Jim Costa of Fresno and Rep. Salud Carbajal of Santa Barbara are overseeing a charge to bring protection and financial help to farmworkers during the coronavirus pandemic. The congressmen wrote a letter signed by everyone in the 38-member Congressional Hispanic Caucus. On Wednesday, the letter was sent to Democratic and...
Opinion: Honor Chavez Legacy by Confronting UFW Corruption
Cesar Chavez spent his life trying to improve life for farmworkers, fighting for changes he felt would bring about civil rights and justice for workers. At the end of this month, California state legislators plan to honor Cesar Chavez’s birthday as a day of public service. The work Cesar Chavez...
Editorial: Why Is Valley GOP Mum About ICE Audits Targeting Growers?
The top officials at Immigration and Customs Enforcement clearly are following President Donald Trump's anti-immigrant agenda while turning a deaf ear to those worried about Valley agriculture and our neighbors who toil in the fields. Last week, The Fresno Bee reported that Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) sent a letter to ICE...