Strikers continue to picket outside Monson Fruit in Selah on Saturday for more protective equipment and safety measures at the plant.
Adrian Mendoza, one of the Monson workers, said representatives of the workers were going to meet with company management Monday, following a Friday meeting where management asked for details about their demands.
Workers planned to staff the picket lines outside the plant through the weekend.
Workers went on strike last week to protest the need for protective equipment, sanitizing and social distancing at the warehouse, along with hazard pay.
The strike at Monson was one of several at local fruit-packing plants in the Yakima area over concerns about safety and hazard pay during the coronavirus pandemic.
Yakima Health District officials say workers in agriculture/food industries represent nearly a fifth of the cases reported in the county.
Mendoza and Armida Livera, another worker, said the picketers have received moral support — as well as food and water — from nearby residents.
“A lot of people tell us to keep it up,” Livera said.
Jason Bakker, the general manager at Monson, said earlier this week that staff has met with every employee over the last few weeks to try to keep workers updated, and has taken significant steps to follow safety recommendations. The state Department of Agriculture acquired 50,000 cloth masks for distribution to the agriculture industry, and some went to Monson this week.
Case update
On Saturday, the number of new cases increased by 41 to 2,349 cases in Yakima County, according to the health district. No new deaths were reported, with the death toll remaining at 76. Of those, all but three had existing health issues.
The number of people who are deemed to have recovered is now 715, up from 656 Friday.
Here are some questions and answers about the coronavirus pandemic:
Spokane County is considering making the wearing of masks in public mandatory. Is Yakima County considering that as well?
No, said Lilián Bravo, the district’s director of public partnerships. The district recommends people wear masks when they go out in public, and is relying on outreach and public education efforts to help people understand that masks protect both themselves and other people from spreading the virus, Bravo said.
Will Yakima County be able to follow the governor’s timetable for reopening?
Health officials hope the county can meet the timeline Gov. Jay Inslee outlined in his plan for reopening the state’s economy. But, Bravo said that will depend on the community and how well they practice social distancing, use masks, wash hands and sanitize surfaces to control the disease’s spread.
Will Sunnyside be opening its pool this summer? What about the farmer’s market?
Sunnyside City Manager Martin Casey said the pool will stay closed this summer because of the pandemic. But, he said that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
“We found a silver lining to use the savings (from not opening the pool) to complete maintenance on the pool. We can look forward to having better facilities in 2021,” Casey said.
The city’s farmers market will reopen on Fridays starting at the end of the month, but with food vendors only dedicated lanes, grab-and-go purchases and no gatherings.
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May 17, 2020 at 12:00PM
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Saturday update: Strike continues at Selah fruit plant; 41 new coronavirus cases; Sunnyside pool - Yakima Herald-Republic
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