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Posted on 09/30/2002 12:55:14 PM PDT by Tancred
STOCKTON, Calif. (AP) -- A sculpture honoring the contributions of millions of Mexican immigrant laborers who came to the United States more than 50 years ago, and who are still seeking to recoup some of their wages, was unveiled in Stockton.
``I'm very proud that people are finally showing interest in the work that we did,'' said Leopoldo Hernandez, 68, who began working as a ``bracero'' in Phoenix, Ariz. in 1957.
Hernandez was one of millions of braceros, named after the Spanish word for arm, who came to the United States during World War II from Mexico to fill labor shortages caused by the war. He was also among about 20 braceros who helped unveil the sculpture honoring their efforts.
The sculpture was dedicated Sunday at McLeod Lake Park as part of the celebration of International Bracero Day. The day marked the 60th anniversary of the date when the first workers arrived in the San Joaquin Valley.
``I think it's a great project, particularly because it's recognizing people who usually don't get recognized for their work,'' said Rafael Arrieta-Eskarzaga, the Mexican-born artist who made the sculpture. ``We do sculptures of generals or presidents but this kind of stuff we don't see very often.''
Aside from the unveiling, the day's celebration filled the warm California afternoon with laughter, mariachi music, food and men on horses carrying Mexican and American flags.
Fund-raising for a museum and library dedicated to the history of braceros are also in the works, according to Luis Magana of Rural Economic Alternative Program. Magana worked with a group of community representatives to raise the funds for the memorial.
Magana, whose father came to California from Mexico in 1943 at age 17 to pick asparagus, tomatoes and sugarbeets, said the braceros chose the design for the statue, a bronze sculpture of a bracero working in the fields.
``They said 'We want to show that we are soldiers of the field and want to show our arms working in combat,''' Magana said.
Although they're being recognized by the memorial, a group of remaining braceros and their heirs are still trying to gain the recognition of the courts.
They filed a class-action lawsuit in San Francisco in March 2001 seeking repayment of money deducted from their paychecks.
Under the agreement between the United States and Mexico, 10 percent of each worker's wage was withheld and transferred, via U.S. and Mexican banks, to an individual savings fund. But many braceros said they never received the money.
Between 1942 and 1964, as many as five million men worked as braceros in this country, but the withholding was discontinued after 1949 and only applies to about 300,000 of the workers. Advocates say at least $500 million is owed to the braceros, including interest.
The suit targeted the U.S. and Mexican governments and Wells Fargo Bank, which was in charge of transferring the funds.
Late last month, a federal judge dismissed most of the suit.
``They don't want to recognize the fact that they took our money,'' said Juan Alvarado, a 67-year-old former bracero who came to the United States in 1958 to pick tomatoes and now lives in Stockton. ``I want to see the end to this situation, an appropriate and correct end.''
The braceros' lawsuit got a little help from Gov. Gray Davis Sunday, when he signed a bill that will give the workers more time to recover wages. The bill, by Assemblyman Marco Firebaugh, D-Los Angeles, extends the statute of limitations for claims until December 31, 2005.
Braceros attorney Jonathan Rothstein said, even before the announcement of Davis' bill, that he would continue to pursue the case.
I love it! Clammer for more Hispanics in law school, but if you are in trouble, hire a smart Jewish lawyer.
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