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Worker’s Rights – Justice for Swift Worker’s Campaign
- On November 14, Latinos en Acción
de CCI and Iowa’s Labor Commissioner signed a two-year alliance
agreement with the purpose of educating Swift workers on their
right to a safe workplace and help them report any hazardous conditions.
The alliance agreement is a direct
result of an October meeting members had with a Safety Consultant
from the Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration (IOSHA).
In the meeting, over 50 CCI members shared testimonies about problems
faced by Swift employees. Members also said that Swift is unwilling
to work with them to make the plant safer. www.osha.gov
- In early 2005, Latinos en Acción
de CCI held two Know-Your-Rights trainings for packing plant workers
in Marshalltown attended by more than 140 people. Many workers
have experienced work related injuries and abusive treatment by
supervisors, but are unaware of their rights and fear they will
be fired if they speak up. At the training, participants learned
their basic rights as a worker and as a union member from experts
with the United Worker Committee in Rhode Island and the National
Training and Information Center in Chicago.
- In September 2004, Latinos en Acción
de CCI hosted a Celebration of Immigrant Workers Day at the Marshalltown
Central Iowa Fairgrounds. More than 500 people came to celebrate
the contributions of immigrant workers to the community. Member
Hilda Rodríguez, who works at Swift and Company packing
plant in Marshalltown, said that the day was important to her
because it reminded her to take pride in the work she does and
to fight for safer working conditions so she can do even better.
Click
here to learn more about our Justice for Swift Workers Campaign.
Opening Lines of Communication
• In 2005, members in Des
Moines held two meetings with the Des Moines Chief of Police to
address members concerns of profiling and mistreatment. He agreed
to hear and investigate any and all complaints concerning police
conduct or actions. He also voiced his support of driver’s
licenses or identification for the immigrant community to ensure
that only tested drivers are on the road and to allow officials
to better track the identity of Des Moines residents.
• In 2004, Latinos en Acción
de CCI members met with the Superintendent of the Marshalltown
School District about the need to work together to address bullying
and violence in the schools.
• In 2004, Latinos en Acción
de CCI members met the Mayor and city administrator, the Chief
of Police, and Deputy Sheriff to their concerns about unfair treatment.
Both the Deputy Sheriff and Chief of Police agreed to share members’
concerns with their officers and to keep the lines of communications
open.
Looking Towards a Better Future for our Youth
• On July 17, 2005 Des Moines
and Marshalltown CCI members joined with over 20 immigrant rights’
groups in Iowa to plan and carry out a national immigration reform
rally in Des Moines. The rally was held across the street from
the National Governor’s Association meeting, where over
35 governors and hundreds of their political advisors and press
were discussing the legislation they would support. A crowd of
over 250 people called on the governors to support legislation
that recognizes the contribution of immigrants and protects them
from unscrupulous businesses and people that may try to take advantage
of them.
• In 2004, Latinos en Acción
de CCI members teamed up with a local youth organization to meet
with Congressman Tom Latham to ask him to support legislation
that would give immigrant youth more educational opportunities.
A few weeks after our meeting, Mr. Latham send our group a letter
stating that he would support the legislation as a direct result
of our meeting. In the letter he wrote, “I would like to
thank you for helping me better represent the people of Iowa.”
Local organizing issues
• In 2005, Latinos en Acción
de CCI members took their concerns about lack of adequate public
soccer fields to city and school officials. As a result, members
got school officials to donate space for two public soccer fields
and they also received a commitment from city officials to work
with CCI members to build 4 additional soccer fields by the summer
of 2007.
• In May 2005, Latinos en
Acción de CCI members and residents of the Starlite trailer
park near Marshalltown held the owner accountable for inflating
resident’s water bills. All residents received refunds and
the issue was resolved.
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