Justice for Farmworkers Update

Join farmworkers as they march both from eastern and western New York in their first ever March to Albany for Justice. It began on Saturday, April 19 in Brockport and on Sunday, April 20 in Harlem. Marchers will converge in Albany on Wednesday, April 30, 2003. Click here for the day-by-day march schedule. The march is sponsored by Centro Independiente de Trabajadores Agricolas (CITA) and the Justice For Farmworkers Coalition. For details about the rally on April 30 in Albany, click here. Marchers will be joined by Dolores Huerta, co-founder with the late Cesar Chavez, of the United Farm Workers.

Background
NYS labor laws categorically exclude farmworkers from basic worker rights and protections. For a change, see a 2002 position paper describing the Farmworker Fair Labor Practices Act.

Help change this by adapting materials for an Epistle Sunday/ Social Action Sabbath or adapting and passing a Community of Faith Resolution.

The Rural and Migrant Ministry (RMM) has been learning from farmworkers for over 20 years. If you would like to learn more about RMM and the struggle of farmworkers as they seek to achieve justice, please call 845/ 485-8627 or write to Rural and Migrant Ministry, PO Box 4757, Poughkeepsie, NY 12602.

ARCHIVES

Divinity School Forum on Farmworker Justice: Rochester area residents participated in conversation on Dec. 10, 2002 with a panel that included Aspacio Alcantare of the Indedendent Farmworkers Center (CITA), Rural and Migrant Ministry of Western NY, the Farmworker Women's Institute of Farmworker Legal Services and faculty members who spoke about Bibical teachings that offer guidance on the topic. The forum was sponsored by the Rochester NY Labor-Religion Coalition and the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School (CRCDS). Click here for a printable flyer with more information.

"Got Rights? Farmworkers Don't." was the message on milk cartons distributed by young people in the Legislative Office Building in Albany on May 1, 2002 during the first of three Farmworker Advocacy Days. On May 2 advocates organized simultaneous rallies in Fairport and New Paltz. Delegations visited legislative offices on May 3. The links below tell the story of activity across the state.

Farmworker Adocacy Days 2002 Statewide Flyer

Flyer for May 2, 2002 March and Vigil in Fairport, NY: 4 p.m.

Youth Action and Fiesta, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on May , 2002 in Albany. NY: