Farmworker Labor Rights
From the berry fields of Whatcom County to the orchards and packing houses of the Yakima Valley, farmworkers are standing up for fair treatment, and we stand with them.
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Who we serve
Farmworkers plant, harvest, and process the food that sustains all of us, and many come from families who have worked Washington’s fields and orchards for generations. The labor of local, migrant, seasonal and H-2A farmworkers is the backbone of one of our state’s most important industries, and they deserve the same protections at work as everyone else.
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Outreach events held by NJP’s Farmworker Unit in 2025, reaching more than 4,200 farmworkers in Washington State.
We are the arms that feed this nation. No one carries the picking bag the way we have. We do our work with pride and must speak out to help one another … and exercise our rights.
Lourdes, NJP client (right)
What we help with
We defend farmworkers’ labor rights by representing them in cases for discrimination, workforce displacement, sexual harassment, violence, combating wage violations, and labor trafficking.
When an employer breaks the law, we represent workers and their families to hold that employer accountable.
Where you’ll find us
Our bilingual Farmworker Unit, La Unidad Campesina de NJP, is based in Yakima and Wenatchee and serves farmworkers across the state. Our attorneys and outreach staff meet workers where they work and live, in community centers and in farmworker housing, to share information about their employment rights and connect them to legal help and resources. Attorneys in our field offices also play a crucial role in serving the legal needs of local farmworker and Latino communities.
4,200+
Farmworkers in Washington State reached in 2025
Maria’s Story
A Family Fights Job Displacement
After more than 20 years in the fields of Cornerstone Ranches, Maria de los Angeles Sereno, her two sons, and several other workers were fired without warning, and temporary H-2A workers arrived the very next day to take their jobs. When Maria fought back in court, her husband was fired in retaliation. The workers came to NJP, and sued Cornerstone. Their courage paid off.
Case Studies
Supporting Farmworkers
Building Farmworker Power: The Women of WP Packing
NJP’s Farmworker Unit has one underlying goal: to build farmworker power. And that means supporting the leadership of Latina farmworkers who organize, speak up, and create change. Litigation can support that mission, but farmworker power does not begin with lawyers or lawsuits. It begins with workers.
Five women who worked at WP Packing, a fruit-packing warehouse in Wapato, Washington, show what that looks like.
Recent News & Stories
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Two farm workers near Omak have reached a successful settlement against Blue Bird Orchards, LLC., after facing sexual harassment and subsequent workplace retaliation.
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This Community Q&A in the Yakima Herald-Republic features Alex Galarza, who heads farmworker outreach for Northwest Justice Project across Washington state. “We assist warehouse employees, dairy workers, field workers, and H-2A guest workers who only come for the season and have no one explaining anything to them, making them more vulnerable to labor abuse. We…
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Justice in Action: NJP’s Outreach Workers Champion Farm Workers’ Rights The Northwest Justice Project's (NJP) Farmworker Unit, based in Yakima, provides legal advice and representation to farmworkers and their families across Washington state. At the heart of the unit is its outreach program. In 2011, Alex Galarza became the sole outreach worker; today he heads…
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