Thread: Farm Workers Protest Outside Publix

The pickers are illegals and the farmers are greedy. End of story. They can bring them here on visas if Americans really do not want to do that job. Then they would have to follow labor laws as opposed to treating works like slaves.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/ ... 5691.story

Farm workers protest outside Fort Lauderdale Publix
Tomato pickers demand higher pay, better conditions

Fort Lauderdale By Brian Haas, Sun Sentinel

December 19, 2009
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Almost 100 people, most of them farm workers, protested outside a downtown Publix on Saturday afternoon, demanding better wages for tomato pickers in the state.

At least 60 farm workers from the Coalition of Immokalee Workers marched in a circle outside the Publix at 601 S. Andrews Ave. with signs reading "End the Poverty" and "Honk for a living wage."

Workers are asking Publix and tomato growers for an additional penny per pound as well as guarantees aimed at curbing potential abuses of farm workers.

"Publix as a large tomato buyer uses large volume buying to demand the lowest possible prices on tomatoes," said Gerardo Reyes, 32, a farm worker from Immokalee. "This in turn creates sub-poverty wages for farm workers and abusive working conditions."

Reyes said farm workers receive the same wages they received in 1978 for one of the hardest jobs in Florida.

Publix responded with a written statement referring to the matter as a "labor dispute" between workers and growers.

"We do pay fair market value for tomatoes," Publix stated. "It's just not our place to determine what that rate should be, which is why this is a labor dispute that should be settled between the workers and the growers. We urge them to come to an immediate resolution."

Similar campaigns by farm workers have been successful in getting McDonald's, Burger King and the company that includes the Taco Bell and Kentucky Fried Chicken brands to assent to wage increases and better working conditions for pickers. News reports indicate the majority of those deals have yet to reach farm workers' pockets.

The Associated Press has reported the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange — a group that represents growers — threatened to fine any grower that goes along with the farm worker agreement $100,000.

The group contends tomato pickers earn more than $12 per hour on average, well more than the minimum wage.

Moved to Other Topics. While anyone in FL knows, the majority of farm workers are "undocumented laborers," the story did not mention that.
And having had to stop in Immokalee a couple of times, I never heard a word of English.

gee, we are in one of the worst recessions ever. Nice time for the IA's to be on strike for a pay raise.

Originally Posted by SicNTiredInSoCal

gee, we are in one of the worst recessions ever. Nice time for the IA's to be on strike for a pay raise.

Most people know that they are illegals who are working on the farms. Doing what they did will just make it better for our side when it comes to the amnesty issue.

Reyes said farm workers receive the same wages they received in 1978 for one of the hardest jobs in Florida.

Now how is that possible? Oh yeah...the IA labor force keeps undercutting wages!

Cesar Chavez knew that problem and campaigned against IA laborers.

The UFWA during Chávez's tenure was committed to restricting immigration.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A9sar_Ch%C3%A1vez