Immigration/Labor Rights
Dreading Bush's Next Move on Guestworker Program
Written by Bruce Goldstein Thursday, 25 September 2008 13:32
We're checking every day to see whether the Bush Administration has issued the final version of its disastrous plans to change the nation's agricultural guestworker program. More information is here and on our main website.
In other news...
An Idaho TV station is reporting on the agricultural labor shortage.
The mother of Carlitos, the child born in Immokolee, FL without arms or legs, testified to the North Carolina Pesticide Board recently about her exposure to toxic pesticides by agribusiness giant AgMart. The Board is considering whether the company violated pesticide safety laws.
A Baltimore Sun article gushes over the H-2A guestworker program, touting its "good, legal wages for Mexican migrants". Thanks to Daniela Dwyer of the Legal Aid Bureau of Maryland (misnamed "Maryland Legal Aid" in the article) for providing the one snippet of criticism of the program in the piece.
Migrant workers in Mississippi sue farm, grower over benefits --H-2A guestworkers in Mississippi are suing their employer alleging that Alexander Farms violated minimum wage laws and their labor contract with the workers. Southern Migrant Legal Services and a local attorney are representing the workers.
Some things never change: Modesto Bee article on Depression-era "Okies" and today's farm laborers. Excellente!
yikes, here's an unsavory response to unionization: fire your workers before they vote to unionize. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Canada says that's what one Canadian greenhouse grower did recently. The union filed a complaint with the state Labour Relations Board. Story in The Globe and Mail.
The Iowa meatpacking plant that was the target of a now infamous sweeping immigration raid continues to fight unionization. Story in the New York Times.
David Bacon's photo exhibit "Living Under the Trees" is touring California. Mr. Bacon is a friend and ally of Farmworker Justice. He has a new book out on globalization and migration and recently spoke here in DC.
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