Farmworkers in Salinas and Watsonville are back at work after going on strike for almost a week.
Workers for Eat Sweet Farms began the strike last Thursday and are continuing to ask for a number of demands, although they’re back at work as of Tuesday.
One of the workers’ main demands was to sit with employers and discuss their concerns.
Yesica Guzman is a program coordinator for Centro Binacional Para El Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño, which also advocates on behalf of farmworkers. She says employer Bryan Gresser said he would meet with workers in Salinas after visiting another farm in Watsonville.
“We were there for quite a while and what they told me is that the ranch is in Watsonville and Salinas are like 20 minutes apart. But we were waiting there for like 2 hours. He didn't show up,” said Guzman.
Eat Sweet Farms declined KCBX’s request for an interview.
Workers are demanding a piece-rate wage increase from $2.60 per box of strawberries to $3.50, accurate pay for overtime hours and uninterrupted rest breaks.
Employees have the option of working for a piece-rate wage or an hourly wage of $16.50.
