Campaign for workers' justice
Centro Campesino was founded with the philosophy that farmworkers, rural Latino/as and allies must work together to positively change institutional structures that create and maintain oppression.
In recent years, migrant workers have organized for and won improved salaries and housing conditions. During 2000-2001, Centro Campesino conducted an extended organizing campaign around wages, housing conditions and workplace safety for the more than 350 migrant farmworkers employed by Chiquita Processed Foods in Owatonna.
The hard-won changes in the migrant camp housing included: the installation of hot water in all individual units; the construction of a storm shelter and installation of a tornado alarm system; the complete remodeling of a Chiquita-owned housing unit to be used for Centro Campesino childcare, including the installation of a bathroom and air conditioning; and the implementation of a warning system before pesticide spraying occurs near housing camps.
The workers' justice campaign is by far the must aggressive of our campaigns since it works to defend the basic human, civil and labor rights of our members and the community. The scope of work includes:
- Increasing and promoting Centro's membership in order to have a powerful base that will be protected and united under that membership.
- Conducting workshops around southern Minnesota to teach workers their basic rights and how to proceed when those rights are violated.
- Work closely with allied unions to promote the workers' right to form a union and bargain in good faith with their employers to promote the end of injustice and mistreatment.
- Provide our membership with free interviews with workers' compensation lawyers.
- Utilize public direct action to put pressure on companies that refuse to negotiate with workers and listen to their demands.
- Defend our members and the community from any company or employer that exploits and oppresses workers.
- Develop leaders from the community that will act as justice promoters and promote workers rights in their communities.
- Urge workers into forming their own independent Unions that will give them the power to bargain and fight for their own cause.
- Work with allied representatives to promote the passage of legislation to protect migrant workers.
Gaylord Residents Report that Police Profiling continues in Gaylord!
Gaylord Residents Report that Police Profiling continues in Gaylord!
Public Demonstrations to continue-
Centro Campesino continues to work with Latino residents in Gaylord Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Human Rights will be starting a formal investigation of the allegations made by our members against the city, the police department and Gaylord’s police officer Erik Boon.
New coverage on Workers Affected by Pin
Read and listen to the new coverage by MPR on the case of immigrant workers affected by the neurological disease in QPP.
Follow this link:
http://minnesota.publicradio.o...
Media coverage of affected workers in Austin.
Update on Workers affected by PIN in Austin.
Close to thirty workers and supporters demonstrated in front of QPP facilities in Saturday. These workers were affected by a strange neurological disease early in 2007 while working for QPP in Austin. These workers will never be the same and their life has been altered permanently.
QPP only has provided vague answers to our demands and seems not to be willing to take any proactive steps to alleviate the pain and suffering of these workers. We will continue to push for an answer.
Support for Austin Workers!
Latino Workers Infected by a Strange Neurological Disease Claim Justice!
Back in 2007 several Latino workers developed a strange neurological disease while working for Quality Pork Processors (QPP) in Austin, Minnesota. Newspapers back then referred to the strange disease as “a medical mystery”. All of these workers worked in the same section of the plant taking the brains out of the pigs’ heads. This strange disease has had tremendous negative health effects on the workers with several of them losing their jobs, and some of them even their family stability.
MPR Story on Gaylord
Dear Friends and Allies,
MPR has published a story on the situation Latinos in Gaylord are facing with the police. Centro has organized this community to respond to Police harassment. Community members will soon file a complaint with the Department of Human Rights. The city has not responded positively to our members concerns.
Please keep contacting the city Mayor Dough Quast and urge him to solve this situation.
For a link to the story please follow this link:
http://minnesota.publicradio.o...
Latinos Unite for Justice in Gaylord!
Over 130 community members and allies united in downtown Gaylord to demand immediate action to stop harassment and intimidation created by the police. For close to three hours downtown Gaylord was the center of attention. Latino community members had an opportunity to share their struggle and show the city how they are willing to unite to defend their rights as individuals. “There is no room for Eric Boon!!” people chanted energetically despite the cold rainy day.
National Farmworker Conference for Fair Trade
Centro Campesino continues to work for the rights of farmworkers and the improvement of their working conditions in Minnesota. Therefore, we are happy to announce we will be hosting the first National Farmworker Conference for Fair Trade. This is a collaboration effort between several organizations including the Farmworker Support Committee (CATA, NJ), Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA, CA), The Local Fair Trade Network (LFTN, MN) among others.
The conference will take place in Owatonna from April 28 April 30, 2007.
2004 Montgomery Housing Organizing Campaign
In 2004 the city of Montgomery decided to buy three buildings where 99 percent of the people renting where Latinos. The city gave 19 families a deadline to leave the buildings, giving them no option of relocation or further explanations. The families did not know what to do and how to proceed after realizing that they soon had to leave their homes and probably the town where their children where born. Centro Campesino decided to engage in an intense community organizing campaign, organizing each one of the families to demand and fight for their rights against the city of Montgomery.
New Migrant Worker Protection Act
Press release - July 25, 2005
Centro Campesino announces the successful passage of a new migrant labor protection act, Chapter 127. Employers who fail to pay wages owed to migrant workers will face significant new penalties as a result of legislation signed by Governor Pawlenty on June 1, 2005. The new law doubles the fines for employers who violate written recruitment agreements with migrant workers and also provide that employers who do not pay wages when due can be made to pay twice the amount a worker would have earned until payment is made.
