Help fight Ariz. bill to ban ethnic student groups like MEChA, Black Business Students Assoc.

Multiculturalism is a basic American concept. We value the beliefs, traditions, customs, arts, history and folklore of the diverse cultures reflected throughout our nation. All this is being put at risk in Arizona, where last week the Appropriations Committee passed an amendment to a routine homeland security bill, SB 1108 that would prohibit students at the state’s public universities and community colleges from organizing groups based on race. (Ie: groups such as MEChA, the Black Business Students Association, Native Americans United, etc).

Please take action today. This bill could reach the Arizona House floor as early as this week. To take action go to: http://www.ufwaction.org/...

Food safety is of great importance to the UFW and its supporters. It's been in the headlines often because of this Feb. '08's beef recall and the Sept. '06 e-coli outbreak in the spinach that caused hundreds of illnesses and several deaths.

Therefore we wanted to immediately share a report that was released for the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. The report examines the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA's) efforts to protect the safety of packaged fresh spinach. Please take immediate action and tell your congress members to make food safety a priority. Let them know we are tired of the FDA putting our safety at risk.

Once again, the Bush Administration is attempting to strip away the few protections afforded to workers who harvest our nation’s crops.

This week, the U.S. Department of Labor announced what it calls the "most significant overhaul of the nation’s agricultural guest worker program in two decades." That sounds good, but look a little closer and you will discover that instead of fixing the problem, this so-called reform is nothing more than a gutting of existing protections for both domestic and foreign workers.  

Send your message to the Department of Labor today.  Go to: http://www.ufwaction.org/...

http://www.ufwaction.org/...

Working Under The Gun
It’s Not Just an Expression

Workers of Starrh and Starrh Cotton Growers--a large cotton, hay, and almond producer in California—need your help. They need you to e-mail Cal OSHA immediately and tell them to investigate the violations at the ranch right away and prosecute the company to the fullest extent of the law. When you hear what the workers’ lives are like, you will be horrified...and furious. Please take a moment to help these workers by sending your e-mail today!

"I have been working for Starrh and Starrh for five years", Alejandro Gil told us. "The working conditions are awful. We are exposed to a lot of dust and we do not have any protection. In the last two or three days, I have been feeling a pain in my chest and my back when I breathe...The owner's brother-in-law always puts pressure on workers. He wants more production. The brother-in-law always carries a gun on his waist to scare workers."

E-mail CA officials today!

We just told you how the EPA approved the use of methyl iodide--a dangerous toxic, mutagenic pesticide. Thousands of you responded and took action – thank you! EPA is still refusing to listen to us and the dozens of prominent scientists who have repeatedly pointed out the dangers associated with this pesticide.

California is one of the largest users of fumigant pesticides. The state must give a separate approval to methyl iodide before this toxic chemical can be used. We asking for your immediate help to encourage California authorities to do the right thing and refuse approval of this deadly compound.

http://www.ufwaction.org/...

http://www.ufwaction.org/...

Do you want to help pregnant women, farm workers, and young children from being exposed to a toxic, mutagenic pesticide?  Well, you can.

We need you to contact the Environmental Protection Agency today and tell them to protect the public by immediately revoking the registration for the highly toxic pesticide Methyl Iodide. The EPA approved the one-year use of this dangerous chemical on Friday.

http://www.ufwaction.org/...

In past emails we've shared the conditions farm workers endure during the day--heat, abuse and pesticides. In addition, many farm workers must labor outdoors in unhealthy conditions. But the exposure does not stop there. After completing a 10 to 12 hour work day, too many San Joaquin Valley farm workers go home and live in some of the most heavily polluted areas in the country. The small farm worker town of Arvin lies in a rich agricultural area filled with vineyards and orange groves. It also has the dubious distinction of being the town with the most polluted air in America. We need you to take action today to ensure the air in this town is cleaned up.

Take action at: http://www.ufwaction.org/...

Farm workers need you to e-mail the California Department of Pesticide Regulations immediately. More than 75 workers were laboring in the grapes last Saturday, when the adjacent almond orchard was sprayed with the dangerous pesticide Chlorpyrifos. The toxic chemical drifted over workers. Within minutes, workers complained of headaches, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, memory loss and chest pressure.

Take Action at: http://www.ufwaction.org/...

TAKE ACTION & SEND YOUR E-MAIL TODAY!

We need your immediate help. 54-year old Eladio Hernandez died while working under the scorching California sun. He was working for the farm labor contractor (FLC) YNT Harvesting at Hillside Orchards on May 9.  The orchard is located just outside of Kettleman City in California’s San Joaquin Valley.

Eladio’s story is especially horrendous as he got sick at around 1 pm and the company waited for almost 3 hours before calling for medical assistance. We need you to send a message to Cal OSHA immediately and tell them to conduct a full criminal investigation of this death and prosecute to the full extent of the law.

TAKE ACTION & SEND YOUR E-MAIL TODAY!

The news is full of stories about the freeze and how California's multimillion dollar citrus crop is being hit hard.  The harsh January freeze that ravaged California citrus also damaged strawberries, avocados and possibly other crops.  It could also ravage the lives of an estimated 20,000 farm workers and their families in citrus alone. While growers are assessing the situation, the United Farm Workers is already hearing from citrus workers who are out of work. Workers have told us they think it will be almost a total loss.

Send your e-mail today to help frozen-out farm workers get relief.

The American people spoke loud and clear last Election Day. Thanks to your voice, we have a new Congress. Now, please tell our new Congress--after 10 long years it is time to raise the minimum wage.

On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives votes on the Fair Minimum Wage Act that would increase the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour.

Take a stand! Send your e-mail today!

http://www.ufwaction.org/...

Tell Congress it's time to get farm worker input on e-coli outbreaks

In recent months, there have been numerous alarming stories in the news media about occurrences of food-borne illness caused by fresh produce. Just last week, there was a new incident regarding people getting sick from Taco Bell and the lettuce they used. This incident has sickened 71 people in five states, causing kidney failure in some victims.

Federal officials are investigating this E-coli outbreak. A few months ago, residents of 21 states got salmonella poisoning from tainted tomatoes served at restaurants. In the most widespread incident, Calif. spinach contaminated with E. coli sickened more than 200 people in 26 states, killing three.

Farm worker voices have been absent from media coverage and the policy debate. It's time to hear from the people who labor daily in our fields and see what occurs day in and day out.

Take Action at: http://www.ufwaction.org/...

Please help workers reach their goal of 15,000 signatures by Nov. 21!

Fired Charles Krug-Mondavi workers are calling for a nationwide boycott of all Charles Krug and C.K. Mondavi wine labels. The contract between the United Farm Workers and Charles Krug-Mondavi expired and the company has refused to return to the bargaining table to re-negotiate an agreement.

http://www.ufwaction.org/...

Threemile's latest intimidation of women is to avoid providing them with a separate changing area--a necessity as workers must wear coveralls to protect them from feces and urine. Laura Garay repeatedly spoke out on this issue and won.  Now the company is making her pay for protecting her rights and the rights of other women.

Take action at: http://www.ufwaction.org/...

The UFW advised Threemile on Sept. 24 that a majority of workers signed cards and that it was ready to turn the cards over to the neutral third party.  To move forward, Threemile must now submit an updated employee list to the third party.  It has not done so and is preventing the card check election from moving forward.

Take Action to help these workers.  Go to: http://www.ufwaction.org/...