Guest-blogged by Jocelyn Sherman of United Farm Workers
On August 23, farm workers began a 200-mile pilgrimage from Madera to Sacramento, California, to press for the Fair Treatment for Farm Workers Act giving them the right to be paid overtime after eight hours like other workers .
UFW president Arturo Rodriguez has walked every step of the march with the workers. He is grateful for all the support they have received from fellow union members and the public since Day 1.
Leaving Madera, three farm worker women came up to us. "We can't march with you, Arturo, but this is for food and water for the marchers," one said. They handed us $19. A couple of days ago, an Ironworkers union member spotted us while driving down Hwy. 99, exited the freeway, made a U-turn and came back to ask what was happening and where we were headed. "I'll be back," he said. the next day, he showed up with his girlfriend. He couldn't march, but brought cases of bottled water. Another woman and her husband, a Teamsters union member, came up to us at St. Jude Catholic Church in Ceres to find out what was going on. They also turned out yesterday. The husband brought several cases of water and she marched with us all day.
Then there are the farm workers who are marching all 13 days--standing up for their rights. Odelia Chavez is one of these brave workers, putting her job at risk by marching and demanding change. Odelia says she is marching because of the bad conditions we farm workers work in:
The farmers and farm labor contractors put a lot of pressure on us, they don't respect us, we are paid very poorly and it is not enough to make ends meet. We are going to Sacramento to tell Governor Jerry Brown that it is time for him to sign what we are asking. I am tired, but we are going to reach Sacramento. We are going to get a victory.
Luis Carranza is another one of these workers. Luis is lucky and has the protection of a UFW contract. He says:
I am here to support the union and the march, so farm workers could get better salaries and treatment. Especially working conditions during the hot summer weather. They deserve it. I feel happy being part of the march, but exhausted because of the heat that we have to endure along the way.
These peregrinos (pilgrims) will end their final trek on Sunday at California's capitol.
If you are in the area please rsvp to join them.
If you are out of the area, please join them virtually by signing their petition to Gov Brown
More information at : UFW.org
A 20-plus year veteran of the UFW, Jocelyn Sherman is the UFW’s in house expert in electronic media. She is responsible for launching the UFW’s award winning www.ufw.org web site and has implemented and overseen the UFW’s e-mail action list and social media presence. Through her leadership, electronic activism has helped change the lives of those who are least plugged in.
