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June 3, 2008
Burger King Agrees to
Raises for Tomato Pickers
Workers in Florida's
tomato fields won a major victory this week against Burger
King, with the fast food giant finally agreeing to pay pickers
a penny more per pound. This victory comes after years of hard
public campaigning by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and
allies demanding justice for the tomato pickers.
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Members of the Coalition of
Immokalee Workers walk through the US Capitol Building
toward their press conference to announce the deal with
Burger King. Photo credit: Fritz Myer and the
CIW. |
You can read the story by the AFL-CIO's Mike Hall on
Workday Minnesota, view videos and
other media at the CIW campaign website, and sign a letter of congratulations from
American Rights at Work to be delivered to the
workers later this summer.
"Prayer Is My
Food": Day 20 for
Indian Hunger Striker
Protesting the
"Guest Worker"
Program
The struggle to expose the injustices of the H2B
visa "guest worker" program and to prevent its expansion
continues, with the last of the hunger strikers entering Day
20 of his fast in Washington, DC. Here's more from ILCA member
Union City:
"PRAYER IS MY FOOD": A Report from the Hunger
Strike
By Scott Reynolds
I visited the Indian hunger
strikers over at the embassy Sunday. Of the original group
only one, Paul, who just had his 54th birthday this past week,
has lasted the entire time...Paul is of course much thinner
than when I saw him last and his voice is weak. When we talked
he spoke with an almost spiritual sense of conviction about
doing this so others wouldn't have to endure the same
exploitation he and his fellow workers had suffered. He said
'prayer is my food.' There wasn't a trace of bitterness or
anger. He seemed
| Paul Konar, the sole
remaining hunger striker. Photo credit: Workers' Center
for Racial Justice. |
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almost serene. I forget sometimes that struggle
isn't just about tactics and strategy, though those things are
undeniably important. It's also about sacrifice and courage.
Paul may not know that his campaign is an uphill battle that
hasn't yet found much of a spotlight or a patron, but if he
does know I'm pretty sure he doesn't care much. The successful
hunger strike at Georgetown University lasted nine days.
Gandhi fasted for 21. Tomorrow will be day 20 for Paul.
Amazing.
Reynolds is State & Local Labor Council
Coordinator in the AFL-CIO's Office of State and Local
Affiliates.
According to their website, this remarkable group of
Indian workers has won a major human rights award for putting
their lives on the line for justice.
Metro Convention Next
Friday In NYC
New York City-based labor communicators will
come together June 13 for an all-day convention. Besides the
usual business meeting, convention-goers will be treated to a
panel on "Communicating Labor's Agenda for the 2008 Elections"
and a lunchtime talk with journalist Harold Meyerson. June 6
is the deadline to sign up, and you can download the form at ILCA's website.
UFW-Sponsored March
Honors Fallen Teen Farmworker
17-year-old vineyard worker Maria Isabel Vasquez
Jimenez died May 16 of heat-related
illness--a victim of lax safety and employer neglect
in the California fields. Maria had collapsed after
working nine straight hours in the broiling heat of the
California summer, without access to water or shade.
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| UFW members and allies march June 2 in honor
of fallen farmworkers. Photo credit: Jocelyn
Sherman. |
This tragedy should not have happened--and the
UFW wants to make sure it never does again. As the Insider
goes to press, the United Farm Workers are sponsoring a march
from the Lodi church where funeral services were held, to
Sacramento to appeal to state legislators to protect
farm workers in the fields.
To read more about Maria's case and how the UFW
is responding, check out the media items at Hot Issues/Heat Regulations resource page at
http://www.unionvoice.org/ct/hdehJzp1QqQk/.
Union members can also donate to the campaign here.
Want Flex Time In Your
Contract? Get the Flex Pack!
The Labor Project for Working Families, an ILCA
member, has developed some tools to help union members
get family-friendly language into their contracts. There's the
Flex Pack, which provides background
information and answers to union members' questions about
flextime; as well as the more complete guide titled "A Job and a
Life," featuring sample contract language, strategy
suggestions to use in bargaining, and much more. Visit their website at http://www.unionvoice.org/ct/ndehJzp1QqQ0/
to view and purchase these valuable strategy tools.
Laborers Launch Massive
Pro-Infrastructure Campaign
Mark Gruenberg reports this week:
"Calling rebuilding America a bipartisan and
nonpartisan issue, the Laborers have launched a massive
grass-roots campaign to mobilize both unionists and citizens
in favor of dedicated, massive investment in reconstructing
the nation’s airports, highways and railroads, union President
Terry O’Sullivan announced."
Also in Swapping Stories:
Tarpinian to Step Down as CtW Executive
Director
Chinese Labor Leaders Meet with Bay Area Airport
Unions by Paul Burton of the San Mateo Labor
Council | 
