Apples abound

Strikes, work stoppages in Washington fields indicative of changing labor agriculture labor environment.

Section:Gallery

Sun., Nov. 5, 2017

Worker Raymond Huerta stands atop a Bandit Express mobile picking system that allows workers to avoid the hazards of working from orchard ladders as he and fellow workers harvest apples on Wednesday, October 18, 2017, in a Stemilt orchard outside Quincy, Wash. Tyler Tjomsland/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

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Antonio Ibarra holds an apple he picked on Friday, October 20, 2017, Oct. 20.

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Worker Ivan Alcantar balances atop an orchard ladder on F Oct. 20 in an orchard owned by rancher Phyllis Gleasman north of Manson, Wash.

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Workers harvest apples on Wednesday, October 18, 2017, in a Stemilt orchard outside Quincy, Wash. Tyler Tjomsland/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

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Worker Ivan Alcantar balances atop an orchard ladder on Friday, October 20, 2017, in an orchard owned by rancher Phyllis Gleasman north of Manson, Wash. Tyler Tjomsland/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

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A Stemilt crew boss inspects apples for quality on Wednesday, October 18, 2017, in a Stemilt orchard outside Quincy, Wash. Tyler Tjomsland/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

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Jose Marquez hooks a tractor load of apples to a truck on Oct. 20 in an owned by rancher Phyllis Gleasman north of Manson, Wash.

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Ulises Perez Gonzalez, center, stands with other workers as they are interviewed by Mary Jo Ybarra-Vega from Quincy Community Health Center on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017, at the site of their living quarters outside Quincy, Wash. The h-2a workers went on a six-day strike over treatment and workplace conditions. They successfully resolved the issue with Larson Fruit and say that conditions have improved.

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Ulises Perez Gonzalez shows a tattoo he got after getting injured on-the-job this season and after he and a group of fellow workers staged as successful strike in Quincy, Wash. "You have to be strong like a tree," he said of the tattoo's meaning. The h-2a workers went on a six-day strike over treatment and workplace conditions. They successfully resolved the issue with Larson Fruit and say that conditions have improved.

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Mary Jo Ybarra-Vega from Quincy Community Health Center speaks with workers who went on strike against work and living conditions earlier in 2017 on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017, at their living quarters outside Quincy, Wash. Ybarra-Vega was concerned the workers would be blackballed if they tried to return under future guest worker visas.

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Apples are seen being processed at the Stemilt facility on Wednesday, October 18, 2017, in Wenatchee, Wash.

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Apples are seen being processed at the Stemilt facility on Wednesday, October 18, 2017, in Wenatchee, Wash.

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Octavio Torres a longtime worker of Feil Fruit poses for a photo at his fruit stand on Thursday, October 19, 2017, at Feil Pioneer Fruit Stand in Orondo, Wash.

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Apple are seen Thursday, October 19, 2017, at Feil Pioneer Fruit Stand in Orondo, Wash.

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Octavio Torres a longtime worker of Feil Fruit poses for a photo at his fruit stand on Thursday, October 19, 2017, at Feil Pioneer Fruit Stand in Orondo, Wash.

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The sun sets as Ulises Perez Gonzalez , right, stands with other workers on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017, at the site of their living quarters outside Quincy, Wash.

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