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
150+ FLOC members & supporters make presence felt at RJ Reynolds' Annual Shareholder Meeting!!
NFWM and FLOC staff arranged an impressive presence at the RJR annual meeting in Winston-Salem on May 6, 2008. Outside, 150 rallied and distributed alternative shareholder proposals to meeting attendees. Inside, Fr. Michael Cosby presented a shareholder resolution calling on the company to respect workers' rights. NFWM Executive Director Virginia Nesmith spoke to second the resolution. As she spoke, farm workers and supporters revealed a dozen 3' X4' posters documenting the appalling conditions workers face. The resolution gained 13% support, an unusually high level for this kind of process.
Maxcy represents NFWM at National Jobs with Justice Conference
Caitlin Maxcy from the North Carolina office represented NFWM at the Jobs with Justice National Conference in Providence, RI, May 2-4. The conference involved nearly 1,000 students, organizers and volunteers. Through tabling and workshops, NFWM spoke with many activists at the conference and shared news with them about exciting campaigns in the farm worker labor movement today.
At the conference, NFWM stood with other labor activists and claimed the streets of Providence in a peaceful march to the capitol. The protest brought attention to the anti-immigrant, anti-worker policies of the Rhode Island Governor, Donald Carcieri and demanded that he stop blaming Rhode Island’s economic crisis on immigrants and trying to improve the economy by cutting programs, pensions, and jobs for working families. Click here to watch a video of this march and rally!
NFWM NC hires additional staff person!
CAITLIN MAXCY is a recent graduate of Stetson University in Florida. Over the past year, she has been a dedicated volunteer in NFWM's Deland office and she has just joined us in NC as part-time staff. She launched her NFWM career by getting her feet wet (literally) while walking across North Carolina as a part of the Pilgrimage for Justice and Peace speaking out on behalf of farmworkers, immigrants and fair trade laws.
Be sure to give Caitlin a warm welcome to North Carolina and the NFWM team! We are delighted to have her with us!
FLOC & NCGA RENEW THEIR CONTRACT!
On Wednesday, March 12th FLOC celebrated the extension of the collective bargaining agreement with the North Carolina Growers Association. The agreement will continue many protections of the last agreement and ensure just and quick resolutions of problems via an improved grievance procedure. Furthermore, workers will now be able to bid jobs based on their seniority via the Union and able to begin the recruitment process independent of the Mexican recruiters. Find out more!
NFWM participates in the 22nd Annual Pilgrimage for Justice & Peace
The Pilgrimage for Justice & Peace is a journey of hope and life through North Carolina during Holy Week calling for justice for workers here in North Carolina and in Latin America. We walked in cities across NC, starting in Asheville on Palm Sunday and ending at the Capital in Raleigh on Good Friday.
Folks walked with us in each city and together we asked …"what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8 We walked for Workers’ Rights, Fair Trade & Immigration Reform.
A highlight of the week was on Tuesday when we walked with the Farm Labor Organizing Committee in Winston-Salem. We spoke out about the conditions of farm workers in the tobacco fields here in NC. We held a vigil in front of RJ Reynolds Corp. headquarters. We urged them to meet with the FLOC to begin talks about farm worker conditions and in time hopefully to sign a contract with the NC Growers Association as well as with FLOC. Check out photos from the week.
On October 28, 2007, nearly 400 farmworkers & supporters marched in NC, calling on RJ Reynolds to join with FLOC to improve conditions in the tobacco fields
NFWM is proud to stand with FLOC in this new campaign for farm worker justice in North Carolina. Our North Carolina staff provided significant logistical support in planning the event. Our director and three board members were among those attending along with the President of the National Council of Churches, local clergy, and numerous labor leaders and union members. Summary of event and news coverage.
On Monday, September 24, 2007 an energetic rallyat Lloyd Presbyterian Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was the first event of FLOC's new RJ Reynolds campaign. Workers, community members and people of faith came together from across the state to join the Farm Labor Organizing Committee's call on RJ Reynolds to address conditions in the tobacco fields of North Carolina. At the event Richard Kortiz spoke about RJ Reynolds tobacco plant workers' organizing efforts in the 1940's. videophotos
FLOC mourns killing of staff member in Monterrey, Mexico
On Monday, April 9, the body of FLOC staff member Santiago Rafael Cruz was found in their office in Monterrey, Mexico. He had been tied-up and beaten to death. FLOC is seeking a thorough and speedy investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice. How you can help
Murder in Mexico[video]- November 16, 2007 ABC affiliate in Raleigh-Durham travels to Mexico to understand how the beginnings of guestworkers' trips to NC ended in the murder of a union organizer.
Standards of Living, excellent 20-minute documentary on farm worker housing in North Carolina. Produced by WRAL in Raleigh, August, 2005.
FLOC Reports on Successes of First Year of Contract nearly 150 previously blacklisted employees were given employment Over $4,000 in wages were collected through grievances including reimbursements, sick pay, bereavement leave, and wage guarantee violations Read full report
"Guestworkers in North Carolina," series of 3 articles -- News and Record, Oct 2005
North Carolina farming has a labor crisis: Small-farm owners can’t find Americans willing to work the fields for low pay. The News & Record chronicles these workers’ lives here and their efforts to sustain North Carolina’s agricultural industry in an occasional serires.
"Christmas Trees & Immigration Reform" - Charlotte Observer, Dec 2005
As with most agricultural products, growers rely heavily on immigrant labor to bring the trees to market.
Acts of Faith Photo Column, - News Observer, July 2005
Featuring NFWM volunteer driver for Project Solidarity--July 2005
Mt. Olive Pickle campaign ends in victory! In September, 2004, a 3-way agreement was signed by FLOC, the Mt. Olive Pickle Company and the North Carolina Growers Association establishing a union for workers and ending the boycott of Mt.Olive Pickles. More information December 2004 Update
The AgJOBS bill "...is the first time we have seen a bipartisan effort to secure legal status for the hard-working people who harvest our food. I think this is a great first step," said Lori Khamala, North Carolina organizer for the National Farm Worker Ministry, which works with religious groups to help organize farmworkers. News & Observer, Thursday, September 25, 2003. Read full article.
Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride will pass through Durham on Tuesday, September 30, 2003. "Workers want a clear path to citizenship if they are live and work here and pay taxes," said Lori Fernald Khamala, the North Carolina organizer for the National Farm Worker Ministry. Herald-Sun, September 23, 2003. Read full article.
Nearly half of Latino migrant farm workers in central North Carolina couldn't afford enough food for their families, according to a recent study by researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. Many resort to skipping meals or cutting the size of their children's meals. Hispanic Magazine, April, 2003
Guest worker program: Are we treating them like guests? [video] - November 15, 2007 ABC11 News in Raleigh-Durham investigates the H2A guestworker program in NC. Critics say we invite workers here, mistreat them, and don't let them come back if they complain. Half of Latino farm workers in North Carolina are unable to feed their families - Raleigh News & Observer, May 13, 2003 Researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center base findings on survery of 102 families in a five-county area in central North Carolina. "Harvesting for Mt. Olive: A National Farm Worker Ministry Delegation Report" - June 1999
.jpg)
The Pilgrimage for Justice & Peace is a journey of hope and life through North Carolina during Holy Week calling for justice for workers here in North Carolina and in Latin America. We walked in cities across NC, starting in Asheville on Palm Sunday and ending at the Capital in Raleigh on Good Friday. 