Visual Companion | Community Voz S4 E 23: Reflections from weeks at the strikes

Community Voz is C2C's ecofeminist radio show which presents the grassroots work that local people are doing across intersecting movements. Our radio shows are engaging conversations about issues and news you probably won't hear anywhere else. We believe in community radio and alternative media, which highlights the character, beauty and courage of the voices of people on the ground. Tune in for reflections and report backs from C2C organizers and allies on the frontlines of the struggle for farmworker justice. We are extremely grateful to the talents volunteered on this show by Liz Darrow, who did all of the recording and engineering, as well as KMRE, our local non profit public radio station and host!

Brenda, Maureen, and Abby share their perspectives on what it was like to be in Yakima for extended periods of time supporting the various strikes. Brenda was at Allan Bros. Fruit, Jack Frost Fruit Co., and Matson Fruit Co. Maureen was at Allan Bros. and then Jack Frost from the first to the last day of their strike. Abby joined her at at Jack Frost and intermittently visited Columbia Reach Pack around the corner, and stayed until the last day of Jack Frost. Thank you to all of the workers who welcomed us, gave us food and shelter, and taught us about solidarity and struggle. To learn more about what we saw on the picket lines, listen to the episode here.

Songs in this episode: Canto al Trabajador by Bajo Salario and Know Your Rights by the Clash

Allan Bros. Worker

Photo by Brenda Bentley

Woman worker on strike keeps the beat at Allan Bros.

Photo by Brenda Bentley

C2C Promotora Australia Hernandez at Allan Bros.

Photo by Brenda Bentley

Mística items for the commencement of the hunger strike at Allan Bros.

Photo by Brenda Bentley

Morning prayers at Allan Bros.

Photo by Brenda Bentley

Hunger strikers: married couple Maribel Medina and Cesar Traverso at Allan Bros.

Photo by Brenda Bentley

STRIKE! Banners made by a local supporter, Gustavo, for all of the strikes

Photo by Brenda Bentley

Woman holding down the strike line at Allan Bros.

Photo by Brenda Bentley

Community supporters Alejandra, Jessica, and Luis in solidaridad

Photo by Brenda Bentley

Second day of the strike at Jack Frost. A worker holds a sign showing the local packing sheds where workers already fought for and won hazard pay from their employers.

Photo by Maureen Darras

Workers at Jack Frost go up one by one to share their complaints with each other, as well as their reasons for joining the strike more broadly. This evolved into filing LNI complaints throughout the week. Most of the men who spoke shared that they joined the strike to support their mothers, aunts, and grandmothers who worked inside on the pack lines where social distancing was not being implemented, and PPE was not being distributed. In the center is Claudia, one of the leaders of the comité (worker negotiating committee elected by the strikers).

Photo by Maureen Darras

Caldo at Jack Frost, prepared by one of the striking women for the whole picket line. It was a rainy day and this revived our spirits. This soup had shrimp and chayote, an indigenous food to Central America.

Photo by Maureen Darras

Abby painting signs at Jack Frost with messages requested by workers.

Photo by Maureen Darras

New sign debuts as this worker heads over to stand at the fenceline facing the company's management office entrance at Jack Frost. Chants this day were “Queremos trabajar pero estamos en huelga!” (We want to work, but we are on strike!) and “Que queremos? Negociar!” (What do we want? To negotiate!)

Photo by Maureen Darras

Tacos de frijoles con chorizo, made another day by women workers at Jack Frost. The food was so good, and prepared with so much love and care for those on the picket line. Behind the taco is a typical breakfast set up: champurrado in the beverage cooler, pan dulce in the box, and coolers full of food brought from home.

Photo by Maureen Darras

Half of the Jack Frost comité meets to hear Arely's report back from a call with the boss (she was a lead negotiator).

Photo by Maureen Darras

Jack Frost comité making the long walk from the strike line to company management to negotiate. While they walked, the picket line chanted “COMITE! COMITE!”

Photo by Maureen Darras

Workers filling out LNI complaint forms at Columbia Reach, around the corner from Jack Frost.

Photo by Abby Ernest-Beck

Strategy and community in the evenings at the hotel where organizers and supporters stayed in Yakima.

Photo by Abby Ernest-Beck

La huelga sigue en Jack Frost. It was pouring rain and workers continued to stand to show their boss that they were not giving up!

Photo by Abby Ernest-Beck

Screenshot from a video workers recorded to thank the community for all their support during the strike at Jack Frost.

Video/screenshot by Abby Ernest-Beck