Farmworkers continue to speak out about conditions at Sunnyside mushroom plant
Summary
Date Reported: 8 May 2023
Location: United States of America
Companies
Windmill Farms - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Mexico , Agriculture & livestock , Gender not reported )Issues
Freedom of Association , Dismissal , Denial of leave , Intimidation , Excessive production targets , Freedom of Expression , Right to UnionisationResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Journalist
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Windmill Farms has said it is not affiliated with the previous owners and the mushroom plant follows the law. The Department of Labor recovered almost $60,000 in unpaid wages for 62 employees working under the temporary visa for agriculture workers. The investigation began in August 2021, and penalties were issued in June of this year. Ostrom has paid the fines. The division fined Ostrom $70,348 for program violations, $1,227 for failing to keep records and obtain a housing inspection before workers arrived, and $3,067 for unlawful cost-shifting.
Source type: News outlet
Summary
Date Reported: 8 May 2023
Location: Canada
Companies
Windmill Farms - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Guatemala , Agriculture & livestock , Men ) , Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Location unknown , Agriculture & livestock , Women )Issues
Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Excessive production targets , Denial of leave , Dismissal , Freedom of Association , Right to UnionisationResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Journalist
Action taken: Windmill Farms did not comment on working conditions at the Canada facility to the media.
Source type: News outlet
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...