Today is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Written by Kattrina Merlo Tuesday, 07 February 2012 12:57

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (Tuesday, February 7) reminds us of the devastating toll HIV takes on black communities. On this NBHAAD, while we have more reason than ever to be hopeful in the fight against HIV, we each must do our part to help bring this epidemic to an end.  Farmworker Justice is committed to fighting HIV/AIDS in the farmworker community and is determined to narrow the gap their access to HIV prevention, care, and treatment.  For more information on NBHAAD and HIV’s effect on the African-American/Black communities please click on the resources below:

 Greater Than AIDS Campaign: Black Celebrities Unite in Response to AIDS

 NBHAAD videos recorded by Dr. Kevin Fenton, Director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention:

• Protecting Yourself and Your Partners ---- http://youtu.be/nUDJuGhJgUc
• Get the Facts, Talk about HIV ----- http://youtu.be/0uh5NLKX5ag

  For NBHAAD events in your area visit http://www.nationalblackaidsday.org/

 If you are in Washington, DC, Act Against AIDS Leadership Initiative (of which Farmworker Justice is a partner) is hosting an community forum at the African American Civil War Museum from 6-9pm entitled In Search of a Black Solution.

FJ Statement on USDA & Federal Contract Labor Law Compliance

Written by Jessica Felix-Romero Wednesday, 01 February 2012 15:20

USDA Withdraws New Rule Requiring Federal Contracts to Comply with Labor Laws

Statement of Farmworker Justice

Washington, DC – Following the United States Department of Agriculture’s announcement that it would withdraw its  final rule requiring companies working with the USDA to certify that its subcontractors are in compliance with labor laws, Bruce Goldstein, President of Farmworker Justice, made the following statement:

“We’re disappointed that the USDA has chosen not to pursue this important final rule. We urge them to move forward with the proposed rule.  A rule requiring beneficiaries of federal contracts at USDA to certify labor law compliance should be a no-brainer.

Requiring labor law compliance would have been a victory for the workers who harvest our food, consumers of government-subsidized food sales and purchases, and law-abiding employers. Consumers of USDA products, as well as American consumers at large, want to know that the food industry is taking responsibility for complying with basic labor protections for farmworkers.  For the men and women working to put food on America’s tables, there are still far too many cases of rampant employer abuse of existing labor laws.

Workers frequently face exposure to toxic pesticides; sexual harassment and assault; dangerous housing; lack of access to toilets, drinking water and hand washing facilities; and wage theft.  It’s unfortunate that the USDA has put off a chance to curb these abuses.  Together, the USDA and the Department of Labor should look for another opportunity to help our nation’s victimized agricultural workers.”

Save the Child Tax Credit

Written by Jessica Felix-Romero Tuesday, 31 January 2012 12:13

Good news for the nation and for farmworkers in Obama appointment

Written by Bruce Goldstein Tuesday, 10 January 2012 17:34

Today, January 10th, the White House announced that current Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, Cecilia Muñoz, will now serve as the Director of the Domestic Policy Council. Ms. Munoz will coordinate the policy-making process and supervise the execution of domestic policy in the White House.  Cecilia, who received the Irma Flores Gonzales Award from Farmworker Justice when she was a Vice President of the National Council of La Raza, is a brilliant human being who is a tremendous asset to this nation.  She has a strong commitment to fairness and to intelligent governing.  Congratulations to Cecilia and our thanks to President Obama for his selection of such a fine choice for an important position in the White House.

Georgia's Immigration Debacle Continues: Report on Agricultural Workers

Written by Bruce Goldstein Tuesday, 03 January 2012 18:53

Farmworker Justice statement on the report issued this afternoon by the Georgia Commissioner of Labor called “Report on Agriculture Labor,” which was required by the new Georgia immigration law.  The report is available at http://agr.georgia.gov/AgLaborReport.pdf ].

 January 3, 2012   Farmworker Justice   Washington, D.C.

 The Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture, Gary Black, as part of the state’s onerous immigration law, has issued the “Report on Agriculture Labor.”  The report is very disappointing because the agricultural laborers – the focus of the report – play no role in the report.  Despite lengthy surveys of growers and other agricultural business operators, the Report lacks any input from the seasonal farmworkers who are supposed to be the main subject.  The report does explicitly acknowledge that federal law does not permit state governments to create a foreign guest worker program, and that solutions to labor issues facing Georgia agriculture rest in the hands of the federal government.  But the report ignores the “elephant in the room” – which is what to do about the fact that the majority of seasonal farmworkers in the United States are undocumented workers and we need their labor. 

 Much of the report is a long list of complaints that some growers have about the H-2A agricultural guestworker program (although 90% of the Georgia growers have not used it).  One mind-boggling example is the allegation, aimed at legal aid programs, that “attractive women come on to my property, without my permission to try and talk my workers into suing me.”  (p. 58).   The report gives these growers’ complaints more than ample space, but there  are no voices of farmworkers, farmworker organizations or even the U.S. Department of Labor, which has had primary responsibility for administering the H-2A program and its predecessor since it began over 60 years ago. 

 The recent report of Farmworker Justice, “No Way to Treat a Guest: Why the H-2A Agricultural Visa Program Fails U.S. and Foreign Workers,” is just one example of sources that could have been used to provide a balanced approach.  Despite the growers’ complaints, to his credit, the Commissioner did not recommend many of the harsh changes in the H-2A guestworker program that some grower groups have advocated.  His call for more education, outreach, research (including research into worker concerns) and federal action will undoubtedly anger many agribusiness representatives.   

Nonetheless, the report missed an opportunity to help build a coalition to support legalization of undocumented farmworkers and demonstrated once again that many policymakers in this country do not view farmworkers as part of agriculture.   

Happy Holidays from the Staff of Farmworker Justice

Written by Bruce Goldstein Tuesday, 20 December 2011 16:21

Thank you for your support of Farmworker Justice.  Best wishes for the holidays and the New Year from the staff.

Lynn Bock

Adriane Busby

Adrienne DerVartanian

Jessica Felix-Romero

Jennifer Freeman-Smith

Bruce Goldstein

Alexis Guild

Kattrina Hancy Merlo

Candace Mickens

Merlyn Perez

Silene Ramirez

Renato Rocha

America Rivera

Virginia Ruiz

Carlos Ugarte

Weeun Wang

Rebecca Young