Farm workers: No progress in 25
years
By JUDY GROSS
Special to the National Catholic Reporter Tallahassee,
Fla.
The recent farm workers march in Florida highlighted more than the
farm workers demand for better pay. Beyond pressing for better wages, the
often-repeated theme of marchers was the desire to have their contributions to
American life recognized and valued. Signs proclaiming, We put the food
on Floridas tables, and Farmworkers deserve respect,
sprouted above demonstrators heads.
The Jan. 13 and 14 march also marked the first time in
Floridas history that five farm worker groups banded together under one
banner -- Farmworkers United for Justice. The alliance, comprised of the
Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Farm Labor Organizing Committee AFL-CIO, The
Farmworkers Association of Florida, Farmworkers Self-Help and United Farm
Workers, brought together workers from around the state in a 25-mile march from
rural Quincy, Fla., to the governors mansion in Tallahassee.
Espen de la Batista, tomato picker from Immokalee, Fla., was one
of 500 who marched in what was called A Long Walk for Justice to
ask Gov. Jeb Bush to intervene with growers on their behalf. The governor
didnt answer the door.
Ironically, the protesters are voicing the same concerns they
voiced 25 years ago when Immokalee tomato pickers, who then earned 40 cents a
bucket, were threatening to strike.
For the past two years, the Florida Catholic Conference has been
working behind the scenes on a Farmworkers Alliance, bringing together all the
farm worker organizations and religious leaders to dialogue with agri-business
owners. Although not involved in organizing the demonstration, the Catholic
Conference offered marchers encouragement. Pat Chivers, the conferences
associate for social concerns, told marchers camped out for the night at
Blessed Sacrament Parish hall, The bishops of Florida love you and
support you in your efforts.
Farm worker advocate Greg Asbed of the Coalition of Immokalee
Workers said the real issue is economic. Most farm workers are paid by
the piece. In 1978, tomato pickers were making 45 cents a bucket. Now 22 years
later, theyre still making 40 to 50 cents. The numbers show each year you
get poorer.
United Farm Workers union organizer Frank Curiel said the governor
sent regrets that he would not be home when the marchers arrived and said that
farm workers were important to him and he thought he had done a lot for them. A
demonstration at the state capitol last October failed at getting Bush to call
a meeting between pickers and growers to discuss wages.
Chivers gave Bush credit for bringing low-cost federal housing
money to the state. What shed like to see next is revision of
regulations, allowing farm workers to qualify for benefits that can only be
accessed with a Social Security number. It doesnt sound important,
but without it you cant get a drivers license. Without a license
how do you get to work? These people work, live and contribute to the
state.
On the federal level, she says raising the minimum wage and
modifying guest worker legislation is the place to start. Sen. Bob Graham,
D-Fla., introduced a bill that would have allowed more Mexican workers to come
into the country to help with harvesting crops. He modified the proposed
legislation after the Florida Catholic Conference pointed out the inequities to
the farm workers who live in the state year-round and are unable to obtain
legal immigrant status.
Alvira Abalos worked a 10-hour day, then loaded her five young
children on a bus to ride all night from Homestead, Fla., to join the march.
Tired and wearing only light clothing and sandals, Abalos shivered in the crisp
north Florida morning as she talked about her life as a farm worker.
My family lives in a four-room house. My husband and I each
earn $258 a month. We pay $233 dollars a month for rent. We just try to live
day to day. There are times when we run out of everything, so we go
hungry.
As one mother to another, Abalos said she would tell Columba Bush,
the Mexican-born wife of the governor, I want you to understand what my
life is like.
Maybe if she understood, she could influence her husband and
tell him all we want is steady work and a living wage, Abalos said.
National Catholic Reporter, January 26,
2001
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