National Farm Worker Ministry an interfaith organization supporting farm workers as they organize for justice member organizations include nearly 40 national, state and local religious bodies
Oregon Farm Worker Ministry
Calls on Whole Foods to Support Workers at Beef Northwest
After a prayer vigil and leafleting, NFWM supporters in Portland, OR (Ed Brandt, Bill Hayden, Sister Kathleen Walsh, Andrea Cano, Father Armando Lopez) delivering letters signed by customers to show their support for workers at Beef Northwest feedlot who fatten the cattle that become Country Natural Beef sold at Whole Foods. more
The letters urge Whole Foods to use their influence with Beef Northwest to stop workplace intimidation, offer recognition of the UFW as the workers’ representative and to begin immediate and civil contract negotiations.
Actions, including prayer vigils, passing out flyers, and/or the delivery of letters to the store manager occurred in Bend, OR; Orange County, Long Beach, and Palo Alto, CA; Denver, CO and Orlando, FL.
Visit to Whole Foods in Austin Leaves
Beef Northwest Farmworkers Optimistic
Farm workers from Beef Northwest, in Oregon, traveled to Austin, TX, to meet with executives at Whole Foods on Monday, April 14, 2008. They also as hosted a Sunday evening rally at Austin Congregational Church and a breakfast meeting with Austin community and labor leaders who promised to be vigilant about the Whole Foods response and the farm workers’ case. Beef Northwest is the last stop for the animals that provide the meat for Country Natural Beef which is marketed and sold in Whole Foods Markets.
At the meeting in one of the Whole Foods conference rooms, Santos Rodriquez and Fortunato Diaz, accompanied by United Farm Worker union staff and key community, religious, and justice leadership from the Austin Area, spoke on behalf of the nearly 100 workers from Nyssa and Boardman Oregon, and Quincy, Washington. The majority of the workers have signed cards cards for union representation. They are seeking company neutrality in check card elections and binding arbitration for a contract when representation is won.
The workers brought with them 13,000 signatures from on-line and hard copy petitions asking that just as Whole Foods takes great care with the quality of the food it sells, Whole Foods will show the same care for the quality of life and dignity of the workers who produce that food.
Workers at the feedlots that include Country Natural Beef cows have beendemanding UFW representation for the past eight months. Beef North West is on the same Oregon compound as Threemile Canyon Farms and Willow Creek Dairy where union contracts were recently won, so Beef North West workers have seen the power a union contract has and want the same things: dignity and respect in the workplace, an affordable family medical plan and a voice on the job without repercussions.
However, Beef North West is no closer to agreeing to recognize the UFW as the workers’ union than they were months ago. Oregon’s Governor Ted Kulongoski and Democratic U.S. Senator Ron Wyden are asking that both sides sit down and resolve the dispute, but that has made no difference to Beef Northwest. The workers have also asked Whole Foods, the natural food grocery chain that reportedly sells 60% of all Country Natural Beef, to use their influence with Beef Northwest to ensure a just resolution of the dispute.
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Señor Nuestro,
Hoy, te damos gracias por tu valiosa creación y por la cosecha que has bendecido y se nos brinda este verano.
Hoy, queremos reconocer el aporte de todos los trabajadores agrícolas de nuestro país – las mujeres, los hombres, los jóvenes quienes laboran muchísimas horas para cultivar todo los productos que nos alimentan y que nos nutren.
Hoy, recordamos especialmente los cientos de hombres que laboran horas y horas cada día en los corrales empolvados y sucios de la compañía de Beef Northwest en los pueblos de Boardman y Nyssa, Oregon, y en Quincy, Washington, hombres que han luchado por mucho tiempo por la justicia y para ser representados por la Unión de Trabajadores Agrícolas.
Hoy, recordamos las palabras de nuestro querido hermano, Cesar Chávez: “Con certeza sabemos que la voluntad de Dios es que todo los seres humanos compartan las cosas buenas que emergen de la tierra….” Y las palabras de Cesar dirigidas a la comunidad de fe para responder urgentemente, diciendo, “Se puede desilusionar viendo la injusticia por todos lados. Pero Dios no nos prometió un mundo humano y justo. Dios nos da el don de vida y nos permite escoger la forma en que vamos a utilizar nuestro tiempo, el cual es muy limitado en esta tierra. Esta es una oportunidad propicia”.
Como gente de fe, tomamos esta oportunidad para actuar, y rezar por las intenciones de Fortunato, Santos, Javier, entre muchos otros de los trabajadores de Beef Northwest, y sus familias, queridas esposas y queridos hijos. Oremos para que ellos se mantengan fuertes y se sientan fortalecidos y puedan continuar esta lucha por la justicia, sobre todo, oremos para que no se rindan ni se sienten intimidados.
Señor, oramos para pedir un cambio profundo en cada una de las empresas y los negocios que disfrutan de las ganancias financieras que llegan a sus manos, gracias al sudor de la frente de los trabajadores en sus corrales. Oremos para que los gerentes, dueños, y mayordomos le den a los trabajadores todo el respeto y la dignidad que ellos merecen, y reconozcan los derechos laborales bajo la ley estatal.
Señor Nuestro, sabemos que somos tu gente y que tenemos distintas creencias. Te pedimos que nos acompañes a todos para quedarnos al lado de los trabajadores, y hacer todo lo posible por respaldarlos. Queremos justicia para ellos, con el fin de mejorar la calidad de sus vidas.
En el nombre (del Padre, y del Hijo, y del Espíritu Santo) o (Jesucristo, quien nos enseño el Ministerio del Amor, la Justicia, y la Paz). Amén.
Gracious God,
On this day, we give thanks for all of your creation and for the blessed summer bounty of the land.
On this day, we honor the farm workers throughout this country – the hard working women, men, and youth who labor long hours to produce all that feeds and nourishes us.
On this day we especially remember the nearly 100 men who spend long hours in the dusty and dirty Beef Northwest feedlots in Boardman and Nyssa Oregon, and Quincy, Washington, who have fought so long for worker justice and union representation by the United Farm Workers.
Recall the words of our beloved brother Cesar Chavez that "We are certain God's will is that all men share in the good things this earth produces." And the words of Cesar’s call to the people of faith to respond urgently, explaining, "It is possible to become discouraged about the injustice we see everywhere. But God did not promise us that the world would be humane and just. (He) gives us the gift of life and allows us to choose the way we will use our limited time on earth. It is an awesome opportunity."
As people of faith, we take this special opportunity to act and pray for Fortunato, Santos, Javier, and so many others, and their families, wives and children. We pray that they remain strong and emboldened to continue to fight for justice, and that they not become fearful or intimidated.
We also pray for a change of heart by the various companies and businesses that profit greatly and benefit from the feedlot workers’ hard labor – that the owners and bosses and managers give all of the respect and dignity the workers deserve, and honor their labor rights.
And we ask your accompaniment as we come from all faiths to stand firm with the feedlot workers and do all that we can immediately to assure justice for them and improve the quality of their lives.
All of this we pray, (or) (in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) or (Jesus Christ, who taught us the ministry of love, justice and peace). Amen.
