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wessongroup
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Posts: 21152
Registered: 8-9-2009
Location: Mission Viejo
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Mood: Suicide Hot line ... please hold
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Think ya just did .... 
Dittos
[Edited on 5-21-2015 by wessongroup]
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BajaLuna
Senior Nomad
Posts: 581
Registered: 12-5-2012
Location: Pacific Northwest/Bahia Asuncion
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Mood: groovy
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whose asking you, a pension earner, not a corporation, to give it away? You can blame the banksters for giving away pensions!
Correct, you didn't actually use the word "liberal" but you didn't have to! And you're right no party is doing much for the working man. Crooks!
absolutely the farmer to the packers get screwed, no argument there!
We consume their products because we have to, if ya haven't noticed, they have what's called a monopoly on the food industry.
Chuckie, just because someone has a strong voice and joins together with others and chooses to use that to voice against the status quo or fight for
what they believe in...doesn't mean they are less hard working or less successful as others. You can't be serious?
We have a voice because we have a right to have a voice, it doesn't matter if that person's voice is from someone living under a bridge or someone
living in trump tower...I hope we all use our voices to fight against things that don't sit right with us and fight for the rights of others to use
their voices! There can never be movement in any direction... if we all stay silent with the attitude of we can't change things, "it is what it is".
I'm sure your wages weren't what you wanted them to be at one time or another working for the Corporation..or your healthcare while you worked or your
retirement plan etc etc...and somebody somewhere stood up for that (maybe even YOU)...imagine if they had stayed silent, and had the attitude of it is
what it is, ...you may not be enjoying your comfortable life now!
God Bless the movers and shakers!
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chuckie
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6082
Registered: 2-20-2012
Location: Kansas Prairies
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Pretty amazing the conclusions drawn from my statement.I learned that I am a polluter, apparently thrown into the "conservative" bucket, have a
"comfortable" life, belonged to a union and never did anything to object to the status quo. Most of those assumptions are wrong, but they are also
none of anyones business except mine. I don't see any "movers and shakers" in this discussion. I see a lot of rhetoric which added to a couple of
bucks might buy lunch. Speaking of which, I never suggested anyone stop eating, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that we all have to buy
food from food producers. I think that the Mexicans involved in this issue work way harder than I ever did, for a lot less. So? It wouldn't be
difficult to find a lot of people in the US who work a lot less hard or not at all for more. Neither extreme is good. Some fool suggested in this
discussion that companies like Driscoll "open their books" so "we" could do something about the situation. Who is "we", what would "we" do and how
would "we" do it? Like MSGT ******* points out, your reality check is in the mail.
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Pescador
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Posts: 3587
Registered: 10-17-2002
Location: Baja California Sur
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It is not so much a liberal / conservative issue as much as it is an uninformed issue. It is too easy to see the whole issue from the left side and
feel justified that the land owners, especially the bigger companies, are at fault and are literally paying pennies for labor. On the other side it
is easy to see that the labor force is a bunch of rag-tag trouble makers who are ill educated, probably lazy, and not very motivated.
Part of the problem happens because most assume that a person comes to the valley, goes to the companies human resources department, and applies for
a job. That is not what happens at all.
A lot of the problem with poor pay, no pay, sexual harassment happens because the growers contract with labor bosses who provide pay for the workers
and arrange things like transportation (remember the busses) and set schedules for who is doing what to whose fields. Since this is pretty seasonal,
there are few full time employees and most of the labor force that is seen is a seasonal commodity. It is too easy to see the houses and properties
of the owners and assume it is a straight line function from the company to the worker.
Some companies due function like a slave camp and the press is full of stories where people are not allowed to leave, have to buy in the company
store, and are held in captive slavery conditions until the harvest is completed. One such facility was found operating in Vizcaino but the
government did come in and dealt with a lot of the problem in much the same way they have been dealing with the same situations in places like Oaxca.
This is a very complex issue and it is nothing but a glossed over treatment that claims the whole fault lies with the growers and owners. There was
a lot of sympathy and support for the workers in the valley but they lost a lot of that support when they begin looting and burning. There were
families who wanted to work but were treated as "scabs" when they tried to go to work. There were growers who showed concern and were attending
meetings and offering an increase in reimbursement, the same way that some growers figured they could wait out the demands.
When I went to college I used to spend summers picking lettuce in southern Colorado and got pretty good at making enough to get through the college
year without needing to have a full time job. When Cesaer Chavez came along and started the agricultural strikes, I was involved with a lot of that
movement. I got to see first hand the issue from both sides of the coin and witnessed friends who were trying to grow lettuce literally get put out
of business by the strikes and saw workers who felt like the strikes were the answer to their financial woes. Again, families and friends divided and
split up over the strikes on both sides of the issue, but in the final run not much was really changed.
What I would like to see, is all the people who really feel some concern for the plight of the workers, get off their collective rear ends and do
something of real value. Join one of the organizations that are building homes, give some classes in things that teach people how to make a better
living, sponsor some workshops in education, health care, construction, or whatever.
The problem is not really much better by not buying a basket of strawberries or whining on Bajanomads. Doubling the salary does about the same
thing.
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tripledigitken
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4848
Registered: 9-27-2006
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Quote: Originally posted by tripledigitken  | | Quote: Originally posted by DianaT | Today my friend Penny took a picture of some of the cabinets that came from Driscolls, thanks to the Delegado Penny has involved. Very nice cabinets
that now need to be filled with food and other staples There is also a picture of Jose Luis, Angela and their daughter, and a group picture of the
care takers and the gentlemen. The tall man in the back is Murray, Penny's husband who just helped Jose Luis hang those cupboards.
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Food donations have also come from Driscolls to the Grandpas.
One thing I have learned in my life, issues never line up as Black and White as some will have you believe.
I'm going out on a limb here, but I would bet in the San Quintin Valley the vast majority of the farm ownership is Mexican owned not USA, as some have
suggested. Los Pinos comes to mind.
Ken |
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DianaT
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Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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Yes Ken, the Delegado was instrumental in getting this donation from Driscolls and good for them for donating some unneeded cabinets from their
remodel along with some berries and clothing. The Delegado is a very good man and he has continued supporting the home. It is all a very separate
issue. It has nothing to do with the workers strike. Andrew Carnegie had strikers murdered and he was very generous with his other donations. And
please, I am not saying the growers down there are shooting strikers. And yes, Mexican owned farms are huge.
Yes, there are many sides to the issue, but Jim (Pescador) I agree and disagree with your analysis based on your opinion. But many on the left or on
the other side are not uninformed and ignorant as you suggest.
And as in the history of any worker's strikes, unions, etc., there will always br divided families, etc., It is never easy, especially when there is
no safety net for the striking workers. And during the first strike, was it the workers who caused the violence? Not so sure, but it was unfortunate
for many people and not helpful. And yes, the growers came together and agreed to start following many of the laws, but their offer of compensation
increase was minuscule.
Unfortunately, there is a huge amount of bigotry against the people from Oaxaca.
Meantime, I will continue my support of different organizations that provide homes, etc., even though most of them have religious strings attached
with which I don't agree. And there are a number of people who live there who ARE very active in different help organizations, and they still support
the workers. Lumping people into one category never quite works.
And as you characterize it, I will continue to "whine" on any and all places on the internet where I can, and in person to people in stores, to
support the boycott at least until there is a final settlement. Others of course, are free to do as they please.
But really, is your opinion and take on it superior enough for you to call others uninformed?
[Edited on 5-21-2015 by DianaT]
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JoeJustJoe
Banned
Posts: 21045
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Location: Occupied Aztlan
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This is exactly a right vs left issue at least on "Baja Nomad" in this thread.
Most people( BN members) from the right, have no idea what's going on in the Mexican farms, or they just don't care, and automatically side with the
employers, which in this case, is the multiple billion dollar agriculture industry, where abuse, and slave wages come from small farm suppliers up the
chain to companies like Berrymex, Driscoll's, and then finally mega stores like Walmart, that sell the final product. The last two companies are US
companies who pretend they don't know what's going but claim they don't tolerate the abuse, and will work with their suppliers to make sure Mexican
farm workers are treated fairly.
So the first thing many of the people from the right do, is push right-wing, tea party solutions, regardless how much they know about this issue,
because right-wing talking points, work in all industries when it involves employers and workers, and this is according to those on the right, the
ultra conservatives.
So they blame the workers, for their plight in life, because they chose this livelihood. They also say, the workers didn't take the time to get
educated or get trained for a better career, and the big one you'll also hear, is the workers didn't pull themselves up by the bootstraps like they
the American conservatives did.
Sometimes, you'll even hear racist attacks, and put downs towards the Mexican workers, because after all they are nothing more than Mexican peasants,
and they are from Mexico, so what do you expect? It's Mexico!
The right-wing solutions, are almost comical, because these Mexicans farm workers, aren't inner city minorities from the barrios in America, where
it's at least plausible to get a semi good education, get financial aid, and go on to college, and a good career, while spending decades paying back
those college loans.
These are very poor Mexicans from southern Mexico where there is almost no hope to move up in class, or pull themselves up by their bootstraps, and
working on Mexican farms, is probably one of the few jobs they can find. And these Mexican workers, work hard, most people can't do backbreaking work
like this. I personally respect the hell out of farm workers, and how hard they work. I could never do that type of work, not even when I was younger.
Just because the Mexican farm workers lack education or other skills, doesn't mean they deserve to be abused, and taken advantage of by brutal bosses
and companies who view the Mexican workers like slaves, that they could abuse anytime they want.
But then the people from the right, with their harden heart, and I don't care attitude, will tell you a personal story, how they pulled themselves up
by the bootstraps, and made it, and don't see why the Mexican can't do it too. It's like clockwork these stories.( this is where I usually roll my
eyes)
I should throw it a JoeJustJoe work story, when I worked at physical jobs at a multinational company when I was going to college, and the US
employer, applied a carrot and stick approach, to get us to work harder and faster, but somehow I never reached the carrot, but got hit with the stick
often.
But I don't like to tell personal stories, or hear personal stories, because I don't believe 90 percent of them, but I mention it, because the farm
employers, are also using the "carrot and stick approach, claiming the farm workers can earn up to $ 9 dollars a hour, if they work really hard. No
human, could work that hard, and that's just PR work to show it's possible for the workers could make more money if they work really hard. The fact is
the average pay of the worker, is probably about $1 dollar a hour, if they are lucky.
Another thing you often see from the right, and sadly sometimes from the left, is these type of strikes, sometimes get violent, either from outside
agitators, sometimes from the employers trying to make the strikers look bad, but sometimes it's from the workers too, with an, " I'm not going to
take this any longer attitude," and so a small minority of the workers get violent or try to destroy property.
And when any type of violence happens, or the protesters block highways, the people from the right, the ultra conservatives, with a few left leaning
liberals, will jump all over that, and claim, "Oh the protesters got violent, they burned buildings, they blocked highways, so I'm not going to
support them, and whatever support they had, they lost it now."Of course the ones from the right, never supported the farm workers in the first place,
and the liberals from the left, aren't looking at the big picture.
The way I look at this, is in the US in the early 1900's to about the mid 50's also got violent, when US workers faced similar working conditions.
You also have the fact that the Mexican farm workers, face brutal work conditions, and living conditions, the Mexican farm workers are treated like
slaves, they earn a slave wage, and the women are sexually harassed and raped!
So if a few Mexican farm workers, get violent, I'm not going to turn my back on them. This is pretty much the history of labor fights, and everything
is stacked against the Mexican farm worker, because the big AG companies grease the palms of the Mexican politicians, who in turn get the police to
crack down on the farm workers, and pretty much force them back to work.
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24baja
Senior Nomad
Posts: 951
Registered: 2-3-2009
Location: Grants Pass Oregon/Bahia de Los Angeles
Member Is Offline
Mood: Wishing we were in BOLA
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I have nothing to add to the Political side of things on this thread but I can tell you that we drove thru to BOLA on Monday and the trip down was
great. no protesters or other problems, diesel and gas both available. Bad pothole in the arroyo just to the north of Catavina.
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Bajaboy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4375
Registered: 10-9-2003
Location: Bahia Asuncion, BCS, Mexico
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: Originally posted by JoeJustJoe | This is exactly a right vs left issue at least on "Baja Nomad" in this thread.
Most people( BN members) from the right, have no idea what's going on in the Mexican farms, or they just don't care, and automatically side with the
employers, which in this case, is the multiple billion dollar agriculture industry, where abuse, and slave wages come from small farm suppliers up the
chain to companies like Berrymex, Driscoll's, and then finally mega stores like Walmart, that sell the final product. The last two companies are US
companies who pretend they don't know what's going but claim they don't tolerate the abuse, and will work with their suppliers to make sure Mexican
farm workers are treated fairly.
So the first thing many of the people from the right do, is push right-wing, tea party solutions, regardless how much they know about this issue,
because right-wing talking points, work in all industries when it involves employers and workers, and this is according to those on the right, the
ultra conservatives.
So they blame the workers, for their plight in life, because they chose this livelihood. They also say, the workers didn't take the time to get
educated or get trained for a better career, and the big one you'll also hear, is the workers didn't pull themselves up by the bootstraps like they
the American conservatives did.
Sometimes, you'll even hear racist attacks, and put downs towards the Mexican workers, because after all they are nothing more than Mexican peasants,
and they are from Mexico, so what do you expect? It's Mexico!
The right-wing solutions, are almost comical, because these Mexicans farm workers, aren't inner city minorities from the barrios in America, where
it's at least plausible to get a semi good education, get financial aid, and go on to college, and a good career, while spending decades paying back
those college loans.
These are very poor Mexicans from southern Mexico where there is almost no hope to move up in class, or pull themselves up by their bootstraps, and
working on Mexican farms, is probably one of the few jobs they can find. And these Mexican workers, work hard, most people can't do backbreaking work
like this. I personally respect the hell out of farm workers, and how hard they work. I could never do that type of work, not even when I was younger.
Just because the Mexican farm workers lack education or other skills, doesn't mean they deserve to be abused, and taken advantage of by brutal bosses
and companies who view the Mexican workers like slaves, that they could abuse anytime they want.
But then the people from the right, with their harden heart, and I don't care attitude, will tell you a personal story, how they pulled themselves up
by the bootstraps, and made it, and don't see why the Mexican can't do it too. It's like clockwork these stories.( this is where I usually roll my
eyes)
I should throw it a JoeJustJoe work story, when I worked at physical jobs at a multinational company when I was going to college, and the US
employer, applied a carrot and stick approach, to get us to work harder and faster, but somehow I never reached the carrot, but got hit with the stick
often.
But I don't like to tell personal stories, or hear personal stories, because I don't believe 90 percent of them, but I mention it, because the farm
employers, are also using the "carrot and stick approach, claiming the farm workers can earn up to $ 9 dollars a hour, if they work really hard. No
human, could work that hard, and that's just PR work to show it's possible for the workers could make more money if they work really hard. The fact is
the average pay of the worker, is probably about $1 dollar a hour, if they are lucky.
Another thing you often see from the right, and sadly sometimes from the left, is these type of strikes, sometimes get violent, either from outside
agitators, sometimes from the employers trying to make the strikers look bad, but sometimes it's from the workers too, with an, " I'm not going to
take this any longer attitude," and so a small minority of the workers get violent or try to destroy property.
And when any type of violence happens, or the protesters block highways, the people from the right, the ultra conservatives, with a few left leaning
liberals, will jump all over that, and claim, "Oh the protesters got violent, they burned buildings, they blocked highways, so I'm not going to
support them, and whatever support they had, they lost it now."Of course the ones from the right, never supported the farm workers in the first place,
and the liberals from the left, aren't looking at the big picture.
The way I look at this, is in the US in the early 1900's to about the mid 50's also got violent, when US workers faced similar working conditions.
You also have the fact that the Mexican farm workers, face brutal work conditions, and living conditions, the Mexican farm workers are treated like
slaves, they earn a slave wage, and the women are sexually harassed and raped!
So if a few Mexican farm workers, get violent, I'm not going to turn my back on them. This is pretty much the history of labor fights, and everything
is stacked against the Mexican farm worker, because the big AG companies grease the palms of the Mexican politicians, who in turn get the police to
crack down on the farm workers, and pretty much force them back to work. |
You lost me when you started name calling. Make your point but don't attack others who differ with you. I find it just as offensive when DK and
others make blanket statements against liberals.
And just because you have an opinion, doesn't make you correct.
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tripledigitken
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4848
Registered: 9-27-2006
Member Is Offline
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Bravo, BB.
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BajaLuna
Senior Nomad
Posts: 581
Registered: 12-5-2012
Location: Pacific Northwest/Bahia Asuncion
Member Is Offline
Mood: groovy
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Well said DianaT....and good on you, bringing awareness everywhere you can is a good thing, I will continue to do so in things I feel passionate about
too. Awareness is what is needed! He calls it whining, I call it bringing awareness!
JoeJustJoe, surprisingly, I agree with some of what you said!
Although violence in my mind is never acceptable.
Pescador, you make some good points as well! And you're right it IS a very complex issue! And I especially like your point of being a part of the
solution in helping in one's community. I am one who does more than my own fair share of community service where I live and activism as well, and sure
wished I could in Mexico too and maybe I will someday!
It's always been the few who do for the many while others sit on their butt and just talk, and stay checked out to the issues going on around them.
Sadly, we live in a very narcissus society, with the attitude of... if there isn't anything in it for me, then count me out. That surely isn't the way
to live within a community nor is it the way to good karma either! We're all in this together...at least some of us believe in that, and those are the
ones who make a difference for everyone else! Those are the movers and shakers!
yep you're right Chuckie, will any of this discussion on BN make a big enough difference, probably not...but sometimes a good debate can open other's
minds, or can inspire someone, or at the very least give them something other than their limited view to ponder over...I like hearing everyone's
points of view, whether I agree with them or not. Being stuck in our ways and die hard opinions, isn't always a good place to be!
24Baja, yep bad pothole there as of last week!
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JoeJustJoe
Banned
Posts: 21045
Registered: 9-9-2010
Location: Occupied Aztlan
Member Is Offline
Mood: Mad as hell
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| Quote: Originally posted by Bajaboy |
You lost me when you started name calling. Make your point but don't attack others who differ with you. I find it just as offensive when DK and
others make blanket statements against liberals.
And just because you have an opinion, doesn't make you correct. |
Really Bajaboy, you has already took a sarcastic shot at me in one of my posts in this thread when I made reference to "Walmart."
Here is what you wrote below:
"Okay, maybe we can blame the people who shop at Walmart, etc."
In fact taking a brief look at some of your past posts Bajaboy, this seems to be your MO, to make "one liners towards other members posts, followed by
a smiley. I guess I didn't rate for a smiley in your one-liner shot at me. Hey, Bajaboy, I like to joke around too.
In fact what motivated me to make my post above in the first place, are the little jabs, and right-wing indifference towards the Mexican farm workers
plight, from those on the right, and those that want to joke and troll in this thread. And I don't think I directed my post to any specific person or
was attacking anyone.
So please Bajaboy, don't take shots, at others, and then call foul. And BTW I look forward to you calling out DK when he makes statements towards
liberals, because I doubt you ever actually told him anything or any other person from the right.
________________________________________________
BajaLuna, I'm also surprised that I'm agreeing with you too! I guess if you live long enough, anything is possible. Keep up the good work.
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irenemm
Senior Nomad
Posts: 623
Registered: 7-16-2009
Location: vicente guerrero, baja
Member Is Offline
Mood: relaxed
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Driscoll's and Berrymex also grown in Jocotepec, Jalisco. But I have heard nothing of unfair wages being paid to the workers in that area.
So I guess Driscoll's and BerryMex are only treating the workers of Baja badly.
This movement is all political by some leaders who want power.
the leaders that did not have cars when this started do now. How could that be. Deep pockets by someone.
They held most all of their meeting right here in our banquet room. In fact now they call to see if a farmer is in the restaurant. When they would eat
in here it never bother them if a farmer was in eating also now it does. Why would that be. Now they order to go if they see a farmers car or truck.
They don't pick it up they sent their wives. No hay huevos si no hay mucho ellos juntos.
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motoged
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6481
Registered: 7-31-2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: Gettin' Better
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Chuckie,
I believe Sgt Bilko's cartoons and comments in this thread have nothing to do with the discussion....but, rather, is his ongoing vendetta with
JJJ....and in my mind is simply trolling and threatening harassment.....
Don't believe everything you think....
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Bajaboy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4375
Registered: 10-9-2003
Location: Bahia Asuncion, BCS, Mexico
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: Originally posted by JoeJustJoe | | Quote: Originally posted by Bajaboy |
You lost me when you started name calling. Make your point but don't attack others who differ with you. I find it just as offensive when DK and
others make blanket statements against liberals.
And just because you have an opinion, doesn't make you correct. |
Really Bajaboy, you has already took a sarcastic shot at me in one of my posts in this thread when I made reference to "Walmart."
Here is what you wrote below:
"Okay, maybe we can blame the people who shop at Walmart, etc."
In fact taking a brief look at some of your past posts Bajaboy, this seems to be your MO, to make "one liners towards other members posts, followed by
a smiley. I guess I didn't rate for a smiley in your one-liner shot at me. Hey, Bajaboy, I like to joke around too.
In fact what motivated me to make my post above in the first place, are the little jabs, and right-wing indifference towards the Mexican farm workers
plight, from those on the right, and those that want to joke and troll in this thread. And I don't think I directed my post to any specific person or
was attacking anyone.
So please Bajaboy, don't take shots, at others, and then call foul. And BTW I look forward to you calling out DK when he makes statements towards
liberals, because I doubt you ever actually told him anything or any other person from the right.
________________________________________________
BajaLuna, I'm also surprised that I'm agreeing with you too! I guess if you live long enough, anything is possible. Keep up the good work.
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I do think a major problem is our society's push for lower prices regardless of how it impacts stake holders. So yes, I do partly blame Walmart
shoppers. I didn't realize you were so wound up that my comment bothered you.
As for me calling out DK or anyone else here....well you really haven't been around the campfire very long have you?!
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ELINVESTIG8R
Select Nomad
Posts: 15882
Registered: 11-20-2007
Location: Southern California
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: Originally posted by motoged |
Chuckie,
I believe Sgt Bilko's cartoons and comments in this thread have nothing to do with the discussion....but, rather, is his ongoing vendetta with
JJJ....and in my mind is simply trolling and threatening harassment..... |
In my mind Doctor Fraud came out from under his bridge to troll and harass as usual. For
some posters their reality check is in the mail. Dr. Fraud Is one of those posters.
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motoged
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6481
Registered: 7-31-2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: Gettin' Better
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Nomads,
FYI....
I have posted the following report to BN administrators:
"I believe David Marsden is posting personal threats towards me and request that he be directed to cease such threats and/or have such posts deleted
by administrators."
We shall see how such matters are dealt with.
| Quote: Originally posted by ELINVESTIG8R | | Quote: Originally posted by motoged |
Chuckie,
I believe Sgt Bilko's cartoons and comments in this thread have nothing to do with the discussion....but, rather, is his ongoing vendetta with
JJJ....and in my mind is simply trolling and threatening harassment..... |
In my mind Doctor Fraud came out from under his bridge to troll and harass as usual. For
some posters their reality check is in the mail. Dr. Fraud Is one of those posters. |
Don't believe everything you think....
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irenemm
Senior Nomad
Posts: 623
Registered: 7-16-2009
Location: vicente guerrero, baja
Member Is Offline
Mood: relaxed
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Well Driscoll's /BerryMex are at it again. Doing the evil they do in the community.
they had the nerve to use tractors to level property owned by the
New Beginnings Women's Outreach Association so they can begin new construction for a larger home to take in more women and children. This is the
second time in a short few months they had the nerve to do these evil things by helping out the community. How darn them. Those damn slave drivers.
They should have never donated the firetruck to the community so they could put out the fires being set by the poor innocent farm workers. How darn
they continue to do these things.
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JoeJustJoe
Banned
Posts: 21045
Registered: 9-9-2010
Location: Occupied Aztlan
Member Is Offline
Mood: Mad as hell
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 | Quote: Originally posted by irenemm | Driscoll's and Berrymex also grown in Jocotepec, Jalisco. But I have heard nothing of unfair wages being paid to the workers in that area.
So I guess Driscoll's and BerryMex are only treating the workers of Baja badly.
This movement is all political by some leaders who want power.
the leaders that did not have cars when this started do now. How could that be. Deep pockets by someone.
They held most all of their meeting right here in our banquet room. In fact now they call to see if a farmer is in the restaurant. When they would eat
in here it never bother them if a farmer was in eating also now it does. Why would that be. Now they order to go if they see a farmers car or truck.
They don't pick it up they sent their wives. No hay huevos si no hay mucho ellos juntos.
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The movement is all political? I'm not sure I understand that from the worker's perspective, although that seems to a a talking point that big AG
keeps repeating. It's all political? Well, the politicians don't seem to be on the side of the workers, although they pretend to care, like the Gov on
Baja who just promised the workers 200 peso a day, and it looks like he will be unable to keep that promise.
Another funny statement that I see is from the Growers representative, who claims paying higher wages will lead to economic collapse! Really, I see
this repeated often, or others claiming raising the minimum wage in Mexico will lead to massive inflation. That's just crazy talk.
_________________
The talks, mediated by the Baja California government, collapsed Friday when the growers’ representative, Alberto Muñoz, walked out after
reading a statement. The wages paid in San Quintin “are superior to those established nationally by authorities charged with setting them,” the
statement said. Raising them any higher “would lead to economic collapse,” it said.
This is another statement that all PR, and raises red flags if you read what the growers are actually saying, or what I call, the "carrot and stick
approach."
______________
Driscoll's, in a statement last week, said BerryMex workers can earn $5 to $9 an hour.
______________________
Here is the reality check:
That amount is inaccurate, farmworker leaders and several current and former BerryMex workers said. They say that under optimal conditions
workers earn no more than $3 an hour, and that after peak harvest periods, pay drops to about half that amount.
One grower from the region, DeWayne Hafen, also questioned the BerryMex wage figures. Most pickers fill about 30 boxes a day during peak harvest
periods, earning about $3.50 an hour, he said. The $9 figure, he said, isn't possible.
_______________________
Irenemm also said," So I guess Driscoll's and BerryMex are only treating the workers of Baja badly."
I'm surprised Irenenmm ,didn't mention the fine line or pubic statement Driscoll's has said. Driscoll has said they don't have direct operations in
Baja like they do in California, but instead depend on suppliers like BerryMex to do the hiring and picking their fruit, while Driscoll remains a
distributor. This way, they keep their hands clean like Walmart, and allows them to give lip service how they care about the workers, and will insist
their growers put in place fair labor practices.
I'm actually shocked that the farmers can afford to eat in Irenennmm's restaurant, seeing how low they're paid.
From the article below, looks like Driscoll played this game before, and now we know why they moved their operation from California to Baja. The good
thing is these companies can't keep moving to other countries to exploit, because their fruit will rot if they move to far away, and this is why the
farm workers can beat big AG companies like Driscoll's if they keep up the pressure.
DRISCOLL’S NOTORIOUS TRACK RECORD ON LABOR AND THE SAKUMA BERRY BOYCOTT
Driscoll’s is no novice when it comes to fighting against farm worker campaigns for worker rights and dignity. In a 2011 dissertation titled, Places
in Production: Nature, Farm Work and Farm Worker Resistance in U.S. and Mexican Strawberry Growing Regions by Marcos F. Lopez of UC Santa Cruz, Lopez
documented very similar mistreatment, onerous piece rates and deplorable working conditions for Triqui and Mixteco Farm Workers in Baja California
where Driscoll’s had begun production in 2004 in order to move production away from Oxnard, California where farmworkers were becoming more organized.
It appears that Driscoll’s has since moved even further south into central Mexico to source its berries due to successful labor organizing in Baja
California.
https://karani.wordpress.com/2014/11/17/driscolls-notorious-...
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JoeJustJoe
Banned
Posts: 21045
Registered: 9-9-2010
Location: Occupied Aztlan
Member Is Offline
Mood: Mad as hell
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| Quote: Originally posted by irenemm | Well Driscoll's /BerryMex are at it again. Doing the evil they do in the community.
they had the nerve to use tractors to level property owned by the
New Beginnings Women's Outreach Association so they can begin new construction for a larger home to take in more women and children. This is the
second time in a short few months they had the nerve to do these evil things by helping out the community. How darn them. Those damn slave drivers.
They should have never donated the firetruck to the community so they could put out the fires being set by the poor innocent farm workers. How darn
they continue to do these things. |
Don't take your eye off the ball, Irenemm.
I call what Driscoll's /BerryMex are doing on a community level, is nothing more than just good PR work. Companies like Driscoll's /BerryMex, spend
millions on PR firms to craft their messages, and tell the world how wonderful of a company they are.
US companies do this all the time, by hiring outside firms, especially with anti-union activity, that's designed to break unions from the inside, and
tell everybody on the outside, just how wonderful they really are. It's a nice tax deduction, and a drop in the bucket for these two companies you're
talking about, nothing more.
I'm surprised you fell for it Irenemm or perhaps you're just pushing the narrative for unknown reasons. The farm management workers do seem to hang
out in your banquet room from time to time.
The fact is the cost of construction of a Women's Outreach center, and providing a firetruck, is a lot cheaper than doubling the wages up to 80
thousand farm workers.
Or perhaps it's just a coincidence they are starting these new construction activities at about the same time when farm worker are started to
complain about their wages the last few months.
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San Quintín Valley is one of Mexico’s largest export regions, employing tens of thousands of farmworkers, many of them first or second
generation indigenous migrants [PDF] originally from Southern Mexico. Each year the region generates more than six billion pesos (about $410 million)
worth of agricultural products. It is estimated that there are 80 thousand farmworkers in the San Quintín Valley, and yet in the municipality of
Ensenada, which encompasses all of San Quintín, there are less than 24 thousand farm workers registered with the Mexican Institute of Social Security
(IMSS). The most important good produced is strawberries, but only a small portion of these are consumed in Mexico. Most are exported to the U.S.
market to be sold by fast food chains, or in supermarkets like Wal-Mart, Safeway, or Whole Foods. Around 84 percent of U.S. imports of fresh
strawberries come from Mexico, and Baja California leads Mexico’s production and export of strawberries.
[Edited on 5-22-2015 by JoeJustJoe]
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