[olympiaworkers] Farm workers are marching to Sacramento

by Dan Bacher Indybay.org Aug 25th, 2011

Odilia Chavez, a field worker who gets work where she can in various
crops, is planning on marching all 13 days.

"I am going to march from Madera to Sacramento because of the bad
conditions we farm workers work in," she stated. "The farmers and farm
labor contractors put a lot of pressure on us, they don't respect us,
we are paid very poorly and it is not enough to make ends meet. We are
going to Sacramento to tell Governor Jerry Brown that it is time for
him to sign what we are asking."

Farm workers just started a 13 day, 200 mile march to Sacramento. Their goal?

"To press for enactment of the Fair Treatment for Farm Workers Act and the
right to be paid overtime after 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week just like
any other worker," according to a statement from the United Farm Workers
Union (UFW).

The two bills are expected to be introduced in the legislature shortly.
The Fair Treatment For Farm Workers Now march will end on Sept. 4th, Labor
Day weekend, at the State Capitol. If you're in California, please
consider joining workers for one of the days of the march.

If you can't join the march in person, please join virtually by signing
the petition: http://action.ufw.org/page/s/200milemarch.

Two months ago, Gov Brown vetoed the Fair Treatment for Farm Workers Act,
a bill that would have made it easier for farm workers to join a union and
speak up for their rights. More than 1,000 farm workers visited the
Capitol during the 12 days Governor Brown deliberated on the bill. Risking
their jobs to attend, they held vigils, fasted and rallied for change.

"They told the Governor how the laws in the books are not the laws in the
fields," according to the UFW. "They talked about having no bathroom
breaks, no overtime pay, no respect and the lack of enforcement of heat
regulations. And they were right-- two more workers may have died of heat
related illness this year alone."

Farm workers can't afford to wait any more, not when their lives are at
risk. So they are using their marching feet to try and convince Gov. Jerry
Brown to sign their new bills when they reach his desk.

One of these workers is Maria Escutia, who has toiled in the table grapes
for more than a decade. She is marching all 13 days. Her reason?

"I am doing this because I am very upset," stated Escutia. "I believe we
work in dangerous conditions, in the heat, in the cold and I believe we
deserve to be treated better without being intimidated at work; we deserve
the right to have benefits. We deserve this and more."

In Governor Brown's veto of the "Fair Treatment for Farm Workers Act," he
says he is "not yet convinced." For farm workers, "not yet" means farm
workers don't get water and shade. "Not yet" means farm workers continue
to die of heat illness.

"Not yet" means farm workers do not have basic justice implemented by the
Agricultural Labor Relations Act. "Not yet" means hundreds of farm workers
who last year voted for union representation have waited more than a year
for the Agricultural Labor Relations Board to take the simple act of
certifying the elections.

Aaying the time to act is now, farm workers will begin a 200 mile
pilgrimage up the Central Valley to Sacramento to press for enactment of
the Fair Treatment for Farm Workers Act.

Odilia Chavez, a field worker who gets work where she can in various
crops, is planning on marching all 13 days.

"I am going to march from Madera to Sacramento because of the bad
conditions we farm workers work in," she stated. "The farmers and farm
labor contractors put a lot of pressure on us, they don't respect us, we
are paid very poorly and it is not enough to make ends meet. We are going
to Sacramento to tell Governor Jerry Brown that it is time for him to sign
what we are asking."

There will be up to 50 full time marchers who will be joined by farm
workers and community folks throughout the route and by thousands of farm
workers when they arrive in Sacramento. To do a march of this size will
cost close to $250,000.

"Between meals, water & ice alone we are talking about $31 per marcher per
day or $403 per marcher for 13 days or $20,150 just for the full time
marchers. Farm workers from up and down the state will want to join in on
the weekends when they can get off work. On the last day we will need to
rent buses for the thousands of workers who plan to attend," the
organization stated.

"Enough with 'not yet.' The time is now. Join the virtual march by signing
the petition to get Maria and other farm workers the fair treatment they
deserve," the UFW concluded. Go to:
http://action.ufw.org/page/s/200milemarch