Olympia, WA – In early February, farmworkers from across Washington gathered in Olympia with a clear message for lawmakers: the state’s overtime regulations are slashing their income and hurting their families. But instead of addressing the problem they created, lawmakers are offering a government-run grant program that does absolutely nothing to put money back into the hands of farmworkers.
Enter Senator Rebecca Saldaña, the self-proclaimed champion of workers’ rights, with Senate Bill 5722—a bill that’s more about appearances than solutions. The legislation offers up to $40,000 in grants to offset overtime costs to select farms—specifically those that hire only domestic workers and are involved with farmers markets and/or food banks.
But, of course, there’s a catch. The money must be spent on things like reducing pollution, only hiring local workers, and fighting climate change. What does any of this have to do with recovering from skyrocketing labor costs and putting more money back in the pockets of farmworkers? DING, DING, DING—the answer is: It doesn’t.
This is like telling your neighbor, ‘I know your car just broke down, so here’s some nice flowers for your yard.’ How does that fix the actual problem? It doesn’t. It’s a virtue-signaling sleight of hand that helps no one—except politicians looking for talking points.
Washington farmworkers have been clear about what they need: the ability to work the hours they require to earn the income their families depend on. Instead of listening to them, lawmakers are pushing performative “solutions” that only serve their political interests.
If legislators want to actually support farmworkers, they could start by listening to them—and stop playing political games with their livelihoods.
Related: Is Sen. Saldaña More Worried About ‘Climate Resiliency’ Than Helping Struggling Farmworkers?