We Are Fighting Back #17
We Are Fighting Back #17
January 23, 2004
This 17th edition of We Are Fighting Back! is written by Food First intern Jenny Clarke and edited by Nick Parker, Media Coordinator at Food First. If you have any stories, questions or feedback, please contact: nparker [at] foodfirst [dot] org. .
1) Supermarket Strike Underscores the "Wal-Martization" of Labor
2) Support Gallo Farm Labor Contract Workers
3) Make Mendocino County in California GMO-Free!
4) Thai Garment Workers Get Their Own Factory
Supermarket Strike Underscores the "Wal-Martization" of Labor
Women, immigrants and people of color are at the forefront of a three-month-long strike and lockout involving 70,000 California supermarket workers who are fighting to keep their health care.
Women make up about 65 percent of the supermarket employees and about 17 percent of them are from Asia and the Pacific Islands (API), according to Adelaide Chen, an American-born Chinese-American who has been helping the supermarket workers in this struggle.
"I see the supermarket workers having to fight their employer so they can afford health coverage for their children, and I know that this cause is well worth it," Chen told Inter Press Service. "The API workers could be my many aunts, uncles, and extended family."
The strike began at Vons and Pavillion supermarkets. A day later, Ralphs and Albertsons supermarkets locked out their workers.
The strike and lockout began because Safeway, the owner of Vons and Pavillion, contend the cuts in worker benefits are necessary to compete against Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is non-union, has a low overhead because it pays its workers less, and can sell food at lower prices than the chains.
But supermarket workers across the state are saying "no!" Their union, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), argues that if the supermarkets win the California disputes, benefits will be threatened throughout the country.
The strikes are showing signs of success while giving confidence and a sense of community to workers and activists all over the state.
Al Maldonado, a Latino community organizer from San Gabriel Valley's Neighbors for Peace and Justice has organized an "adopt-a-store" campaign whereby community groups support the striking workers of a particular store. "An injury to one is an injury to all," he said.
The supermarket chains are holding firm, despite the financial and staffing havoc. The large food retailers are reported to have lost $500 million since the strike began. Albertson's, for example, reported a 50% drop in third quarter profits.
Supermarkets are vital to many communities. They provide food and employment to thousands of people. But communities know when they are being exploited. As the tenacious California supermarket employees are showing, workers and their community will fight against corporations to uphold worker standards and benefits that they are fully entitled to.
The supermarket workers of California are fighting back. Find out how you can support them! For more information about the continuing California strikes and Wal-Mart, please visit www.ufcw.org
Source for this article: "Women, Minorities Lead Supermarket Strike," Inter Press Service, December 30, 2004
www.ipsnews.net/login.asp?redir=interna.asp?idnews=21745
Support the Gallo of Sonoma Workers
For 30 years, The United Farm Workers (UFW) union has been battling with Gallo of Sonoma vineyards over basic health benefits for its farm labor contract workers.
Gallo of Sonoma is part of the E & J Gallo wine empire, one of the largest wineries in the world with annual sales of $1.7 billion. One out of every four bottles of wine sold in America is from Gallo.
But while reveling in its success, the company has forgotten about some of its most important workers; the contract workers that make up the majority of Gallo's workforce. Gallo has been dragging its feet with union contract negotiations after the last contract expired in November.
Gallo workers hired directly by the company won a contract with complete family medical, dental and vision benefits, eight paid holidays a year and paid vacations. But Gallo refuses to extend health benefits to farm labor contract workers, who make up 75 percent of its workforce. In 30 years of talks and arbitration, no firm contract has been approved. (www.ufw.org/Gallochron.htm)
Now the workers are asking for our support, urging people to send a message to Matt Gallo, the Sonoma vineyard manager, and tell him to stop denying health benefits to the 75 percent of his workers that are hired through farm labor contractors. Enough is enough!
Show your support for the Gallo of Sonoma Workers at:
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/gallo
More information can be found through www.ufw.org
Source: "UFW Seeks Medical Benefits at Winery," Modesto Bee, November 28, 2003.
http://www.modbee.com/business/story/7814110p-8702354c.html
Make Mendocino a GMO Free Zone
Mendocino County in Northern California is taking the lead fighting the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) through Measure H, a ballot proposal that would ban the cultivation of GMOs in the county. The measure will be voted on March 2, 2004.
While getting the measure on the ballot was a victory in itself, the battle for its passage has just begun. Now supporters will have to fight big money from the biotech industry and agribusiness.
Supporters for Measure H are well aware of other failed attempts to fight the GMO onslaught. In 2002, agribusiness spent $4 million to successfully fight an effort in Oregon to label foods that contain GMOs. Monsanto is said to have contributed $1.6 million to that fight and is willing to support the industry again in Mendocino's battle.
"We have heard they are going to spend millions of dollars and try to call every household in the county," said Laura Hamburg, spokesperson for Measure H supporters. "They'll go to any means to change people's minds."
So far, Measure H proponents have had one victory. The California Plant Health Association, a statewide lobbying group that represents biotech companies, claimed the language in the ballot argument was false and misleading and filed a lawsuit last week to have it changed.
In ruling on the case, Judge Leonard La Casse is permitting the wording to stay, a clear victory for the proponents of Measure H. Supporters are elated by the decision, but they are not remaining complacent.
"We won this first battle, but this is just one in a long series of fights," Hamburg said.
If the measure is successful, not only will this be the first county-wide ban on GMOs in the country, but Mendocino will open the way for other local efforts to push for a ban on GMOs. Proposals are already being organized from Vermont to Hawaii.
Read more about genetically modified foods and crops at: http://www.foodfirst.org/progs/global/ge
Sources for this article: "Judge Oks Genetically Modified Crop Ban Vote," Santa Rosa Press Democrat, December 31, 2003
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/local/news/31gmo_b1.html
"Mendocino New Biotech Battlefield," Sacramento Bee, January 3, 2004
http://www.sacbee.com/content/business/story/8039082p-8974802c.html
"County to vote on Abolishing Genetically Altered Organisms," The Desert Sun, January 11, 2004
http://www.thedesertsun.com/news/stories2004/state/20040111031253.shtml
Read more on the measure and what you can do to help it pass at:
http://www.gmofreemendo.com/moreh.html
Thai Garment Workers Get Their Own Factory
After years of mistreatment in many of Thailand's sweatshops, some intrepid workers have set up their own clothing company, naming it "Dignity Return," a name that evokes the spirit of these 30 men and women who have banded together to produce this small yet symbolic line of clothing.
Dignity Return was born out of a three-month struggle with the former owners of a garment factory who mismanaged the company, then swiftly closed it and left over 800 workers on the streets with no compensation. Some of the workers banded together to form the Solidarity Group and then set up shop.
"The new company is completely owned by the workers and there is freedom for us to express our views and get involved in decisions for the factory," says Kanchana Wongpan, one of the workers. "There is no exploitation or abuse. No labor violations."
Thailand has almost 3000 garment factories churning out many familiar brand names such as Levi's or Nike. They work long hours for little pay and complaints or attempts at unionization could get them fired. The workers in these factories who wish to form a union are unprotected by local laws.
Many of their Thai counterparts are envious of the Solidarity Group's new factory as not everyone has the freedom to band together to start their own factories. But the Solidarity Group is well aware of the risky road they have embarked on.
"If this factory proves to be a success, I will be proud, because this is our own effort. An important victory for our struggles," says Kanchana.
Source for this article: "Thai Factory Makes Worker-Friendly Capitalism, Inter Press Service, January 13, 2004
www.ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=21891
This 17th edition of We Are Fighting Back! is written by Food First intern Jenny Clarke and edited by Nick Parker, Media Coordinator at Food First. If you have any stories, questions or feedback, please contact foodfirst at foodfirst.org.
