UFW signs pact with Mexican state for guest workers on U.S. farms

SacBee ^ | April 18, 2008 | Susan Ferriss - sferriss@sacbee.co

[radar101]

The United Farm Workers union has signed an agreement with a Mexican state to help recruit guest workers to labor on U.S. farms legally – and under union contract.

"If this is something that's going to be utilized more in the future, then we've got to get in on it," UFW President Arturo Rodriguez said of the H-2A guest worker program. "We're looking for enlightened employers who are willing to sit down and do this with us."

The agreement was signed in early April in the western state of Michoacan, which has a long history of migration to California and is governed by the leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution.

The agreement is a significant example of the UFW's acceptance that foreign laborers are an inevitable part of U.S. agriculture. The union was founded in the 1960s as an ardent foe of the old bracero farm guest worker program with Mexico.

[Just mythoughts]

Oh yes unionize it!!! Now are these farmers subsidized by government nose pickers that determined how much can be grown and big dollars for land rest? It won't be ‘OIL’ futures alone determining the price of veggies and eggs.

[Piquaboy]

Now the price of workers will really go up.

[DumpsterDiver]

Oh yes unionize it!!!

Unionizing seems to be a bit of a dangerous job.

From the article: The Farm Labor Organizing Committee – or FLOC – already represents H-2A workers on both sides of the border. A year ago, their Monterrey, Mexico-based organizer was murdered in the union office. Mexican police arrested a suspect with a history of human and drug smuggling.

[Just mythoughts]

Unionizing seems to be a bit of a dangerous job. From the article: The Farm Labor Organizing Committee – or FLOC – already represents H-2A workers on both sides of the border. A year ago, their Monterrey, Mexico-based organizer was murdered in the union office. Mexican police arrested a suspect with a history of human and drug smuggling.

This whole mess is filled with danger. What is the subject ... a commodity... some call it humanity, others call it guest workers. Some pop up the umbrella of compassion and all pillars of our institutions, from the political, economic, educational and religious have a vested interest in having their share off this commodity.

Bottom line is the American taxpayers are getting their pockets cleaned from this quasi government sanctioned invasion.

[Ben Ficklin]

FLOC is a AFL-CIO affiliate and the man who was murdered was selling the visas.