SALEM, Ore. (KOIN) — About 200 workers marched around the Oregon State Capitol this May Day, among the worldwide rallies to celebrate International Workers Day.
The mostly Latino and Native Americans marched in Salem to bring attention to farm field working conditions and food insecurity. They’ve been urging lawmakers to support several bills, such as Senate Bill 610, to provide money for food assistance regardless of immigration status.
“Many of the farm workers that are out here picking our food and fruit today, actually a big chunk of them — about a quarter of them in a survey we did — they themselves were food insecure,” said Reyna Lopez, the executive director of PCUN, Oregon’s farmworker union.
They also want lawmakers to pass a bill that would allow workers to refuse a dangerous job especially when it involves hazardous working conditions and be protected from retaliation.
Student groups at the rally urged more support in schools for struggling students from Latino and Native American families.
But politicians were not at the rally. Organizers of this event told KOIN 6 News they did not invite political leaders so they could instead focus on workers.