'NO JUSTICE, NO PEAS!'
Immigrant greengrocer workers organize
By Mary
Owen
New York
On May 1, International Workers Day, a lively march led by a
six-piece mariachi band and dotted with green balloons snaked
through Manhattan's Lower East Side in support of immigrant
greengrocer workers' right to organize.
Some signs read "No Justice, No Peas!" and "Equal Wages for
Immigrants!" Demonstrators were joined by a feeder march of
anti-sweatshop protestors who had been picketing a nearby GAP
store.
More than 75 percent of greengrocer workers--mainly Mexican
immigrants--have signed cards at 22 greengrocers asking UNITE
Local 169 to represent them in bargaining with owners.
"I make only about $200 a week working 12 hours a day. That
is well below the minimum wage," said one of the workers at the
pre-march rally. "More than 100 grocery workers on the Lower
East Side are in the same situation. We get no benefits, no
vacation pay, no sick pay, no pension or education benefits.
But the bosses live well, eat well, have stable homes and send
their kids to the best schools--all from exploiting workers
like us."
A goal of the May 1 protest was to put greengrocers on
notice that owner abuse of immigrant workers--including
harassment, threats of deportation, arbitrary discipline, and
non-payment of wages--will not be tolerated by local
residents.
"There is a progressive tradition of fighting for social
justice on the Lower East Side. We cannot keep shopping at
these greengrocers knowing that the workers are exploited,"
said a representative of the area's Community Labor
Coalition.
The coalition, along with the Mexican Workers Association,
has built support for the workers among labor, religious and
community groups. Community representatives delivered messages
at greengrocers along the march route warning that owners have
two weeks to recognize Local 169 as the workers' union, or
residents will take their buiness elsewhere.
"May 1, International Workers Day, is a great day to be
here. Today, people all over the world are showing solidarity
with workers and their rights in the work place," said Ernesto
Jofre, Secretary-Treasurer of UNITE Local 169. "That's why
we're here--to get justice for the workers."
This article is copyright under a Creative Commons License.
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