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Workers'StrugglesStrikes,Walkouts,Lockouts.
Listthemhereanddiscussbylocale.
ForumLedby:Manoirdemesreves

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ckaihatsu
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ImportantStrikeinMexico:FarmWorkersParalyzeBajaFarms

http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/1100.php
ImportantStrikeinMexico:
FarmWorkersParalyzeBajaFarms
DanLaBotz
ThousandsoffarmworkersintheSanQuintnValleyofBajaCalifornia,just185milessouthof
theU.S.border,strucksome230farms,includingthetwelvelargestthatdominateproduction
intheregion,onMarch17interruptingthepicking,packing,andshippingofzucchini,
tomatoes,berriesandotherproductstostoresandrestaurantsintheUnitedStates.The
strikers,actingatthepeakoftheharvest,weredemandinghigherwagesandotherbenefits
towhichtheyarelegallyentitledsuchasmembershipintheMexicanInstituteofSocial
Security(IMSS),thepublichealthsystem.Whiletherehaveoverthelasttwodecadesbeen
severallargescaleprotestsbyworkersinSanQuintn,usuallyriotsovertheemployers
failuretopaytheiremployeesontime,thisisthefirstattemptbyworkerstocarryoutasuch
strategicstrike.

FarmworkersmarchduringademonstrationinSanIsidroontheborderbetweentheU.S.and
Mexico.
Thefarmworkersreportedlysucceededwithinthreedaysinnegotiatingwithemployersand
thegovernmentanagreementoftheexistingunions,theConfederationofMexicanWorkers
(CTM)andtheRegionalConfederationofWorkersofMexico(CROM),bothcorrupt
organizationsaffiliatedwiththerulingInstitutionalRevolutionaryParty(PRI)thathadcolluded
withemployerstokeepwageslow.TheagreementreachedonMarch20willgivetheworkers
therighttocreatetheirownunionandnegotiatedirectlywiththeowners.Ifthisagreement
holds,itrepresentsatremendousachievementfortheseworkersandestablishesaprecedent
forotherworkersthroughoutMexicowhowouldliketogetridoftheircorruptgovernmentor
employercontrolledunions.Thestrikeandnegotiationsoverwagesandotherissues
continue.
Whilethereispeaceinthevalleyatthemoment,theMexicangovernmenthasfordecades
deployedthearmyandpoliceagainstminers,electricalworkers,telephoneworkers,andany
others,anditisaltogetherpossiblethattheywillsendinlargeforcestobreakthisstrike.The
abilityoftheseworkerstoholdtheirgroundwilldependuponsolidarityfromotherworkersin
northernMexicoparticularlyinBajaCaliforniaandSonora.
IndigenousOrganizers
ThestrikewasorganizedbytheAllianceofNational,State,andMunicipalOrganizationsfor
SocialJustice(AONEMJSorAlliance)madeupofindigenousgroupsfromChiapas,Oaxaca,
Guerrero,andotherareaswhosemembersworkintheSanQuintnValley.TheAlliance
combinedacallforageneralstrikeinthevalleysfieldswiththeblockingoftheTrans
PeninsularHighwaythatleadsnorthtoSanDiego,California.Creatingroadblocksandburning
tiresalongastretchofsome120kilometersofthehighway,theysucceededfor26hoursin
stoppingthedeliveryoftheripeproducetomarketsintheUnitedStates,withimmediate
repercussionsforgrocerystoresandrestaurants.Costco,forexample,reportedthatits
shipmentsweredown.Strikesalsoseizedgovernmentbuildingsandapolicestation.
TheMexicangovernmentsenthundredsoffederalpoliceandsoldierstoopenthehighway,
whichtheydidusingteargasandrubberbulletsaswellasclubsandcurses.Strikers
respondedbythrowingstonesatthepolice.Reportedly200werearrested.BajaCalifornia
GovernorFranciscoVegadeLamadridtraveledtoSanQuintntobeginnegotiationswiththe
employersandwiththeAlliance.

SanQuintnTheCornucopia
TheSanQuintnValleyhasoverthepastcoupleofdecadesbeentransformedintooneofthe
mostproductiveagriculturalregionsofMexicowherelargescaleirrigationsystems,modern
buildings,andlargescaletrucktransportationhavebeencombinedbyemployerswithlow
wageindigenousworkerstoproduceanabundanceoffruitandvegetableforAmerican
consumershundredsofthousandsoftonsofberries,tomatoes,andvegetableseachyear
andtomakefortunesforthetransnationalandMexicancompaniesthatownandmanagethe
farms.
ManyBajaCaliforniaandMexicangovernmentofficialsareactuallyownersorinvestorsinthe
twelvelargestfarmsaswellasinsomeofthesmallerone.FormerMexicanPresidentFelipe
Caldern,forexample,isaninvestorinoneofthecompanies.Thenearfusionbetween
corporateexecutivesandtheBajaCaliforniagovernmenthasmadeitdifficultforworkersto
achieveeventheminimalwages,benefitsandconditionstowhichtheyareentitledunderthe
law.LastDecemberTheLosAngelesTimespublishedaseriesofarticlesandproducedavideo
revealingworkersonerousconditionsinSanQuintininDecember.Asaresultofthose
articles,WalMartandtheMexicangovernmentannouncedjointprogramtoimprovefarm
workerslives,butapparentlytheworkersthoughttheyshouldtakemattersintotheirown
hands.
Someestimatethatthereareasmanyas80,000workersinthevalley,thoughother
estimatesputthenumberatclosertothe42,000registeredpermanentworkers.Accordingto
onereportonly11,000ofthoseworkers,mostlyemployedbythetransnationalcompanies,
haveenjoyedIMSShealthbenefits.BerryMex,forexample,whichisaffiliatedwiththe
AmericanDriscollcompany,registers100percentofitsemployees.
UnderemployercontractswiththeCTMandtheCROMfirstnegotiatedin1994,mostworkers
arepaidonly100pesosor$6.64(U.S.)perday.Wagerateshavenotimprovedforyears.
Oneofthecausesofthestrikeappearstohavebeenthefallingvalueofthepesovisvisthe
dollar,whileatthesametimemanybasicnecessitiesarerisinginprice.Thenegotiatorsare
discussingotherdemandsuchasSundaysandholidayseitheroff,overtimepay,seniority,and
otherbenefits.TheAlliancedemandsinclude:
RevocationoftheagreementsignedbytheConfederationofMexicanWorkers(CTM)andthe
RegionalConfederationofMexicanWorkers(CROM)withtheAgriculturalAssociationofBaja
California,especiallyregardingagreeduponwages.
Respectforseniority.
AffiliationwiththeMexicanInstituteofSocialSecurity(IMSS)fromthefirstdayofworkata
companyandmedicalcoverageforboththeworkerandhisorherdependents.
Paymenttoworkersofallbenefitsdueunderthelaw.
Aftereighthoursofwork,doublepayforeachadditionalhourandtripepayaftermorethan
10hours.
Maternityleaveforsixweeksduringpregnancyandforanothersixweeksafterbirthfor
pregnantworkers.
Fivedaysofpaidpaternityleaveformen.
Measureagainstsexualassaultbyforemenorengineers.
Measuresagainstreprisalstowardworkersinvolvedinprotest.
Paymentofallbenefitsofthelawtoworkers(onedayofrestperweek,holidays,andother
benefits).

Establishmentofastateminimumwageforagriculturalworkersof300pesosperday.
Anincreaseofpayto30pesosforeachboxofstrawberries(since2001workersarebeing
paid10or12pesosperbox).DoublepayonSundaysandholidays.
Anincreaseto17pesosforbushelsofblackberries,doubleonSunday.
Anincreaseto8pesosforabucketoftomatoes.
StrikershavepromisedtocontinuetheirstrikeuntilMarch25whennegotiationsarescheduled
toresume.ThespokesmenforthefarmworkersFidelSnchezGabriel,BonifacioMartnez,
FermnAlejandroSalazaryJustinoHerreraMartnezsaidthatnegotiationshadstopped
becauseAlbertoMuoz,therepresentativeoftheemployershadaskedfortimetospeakto
consultwiththebossesabouttheworkerswagedemands.Theworkerssaidthatifthe
companiessufferalossofproductionitistheresultoftheincompetenceofthegovernment.
DanLaBotzistheeditorofMexicanLaborNewsandAnalysisaswellasacoeditorofNew
Politicswherethisarticlefirstappeared.ThisarticledrawsfromreportageinLaJoranada,
TheLosAngelesTimes,LosngelesPress,andotherpublications.

TheFollowingUserSaysThankYoutockaihatsuForThisUsefulPost:
JuanMoreno
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