July, 2005

Constituency Groups, Press Releases, UFCW Values, United Latinos

ENGA

Jul 24, 2005

WASHINGTON, DC. — El segmento de la fuerza laboral en los Estados Unidos con más probabilidades de sufrir lastimaduras o muerte en el trabajo es victima de una operación de engaño por parte de la agencia de Cumplimiento de Inmigración y Aduanas (ICE por sus siglas en ingles). Oficiales de ICE se hicieron pasar por instructores de seguridad para reunir trabajadores de construcción documentados e indocumentados en Carolina del Norte usando un volante que anunciaba una reunión obligatoria de la Administración de Seguridad y Salud Ocupacional (OSHA) a principios de este mes, luego arrestaron a 48 trabajadores indocumentados que acudieron a la reunión.

“OSHA es responsable por la seguridad y salud de los trabajadores,” dijo Joe Hansen, Presidente Internacional de la UFCW.  “El que ICE haya llevado acabo una reunión falsa de OSHA para juntar y arrestar gente socava la misión de OSHA y es un retroceso en los esfuerzos federales y estatales de reducir lastimaduras y muerte de trabajadores. Después de un engaño como este, el reporte que llega a los lugares de trabajo es que no se puede confiar en OSHA. Ese tipo de percepción reduce la habilidad de OSHA para hacer trabajo critico de proteger a la fuerza laboral de los Estados Unidos.”  

Hay más de 10 millones de trabajadores nacidos en el exterior en la fuerza laboral de los Estados Unidos, lo cual es aproximadamente 15% de la fuerza laboral. Los trabajadores inmigrantes tienen las tasas mas latas de lastimaduras y fatalidades en el trabajo. Los trabajadores Hispanos sufren 69% de todas las lastimaduras y muertes en el trabajo. En la industria empacadora de carne, mas de la mitad de los trabajadores son nacidos en el extranjero, y en algunas plantas, hasta el 80% de los trabajadores son inmigrantes.  

“Esta acción inescrupulosa ha diezmado la confianza entre OSHA y los trabajadores que más dependen de la agencia,” dijo Hansen.  “Más y más a menudo, son inmigrantes quienes trabajan las industrias mas peligrosas tales como la construcción o empacadoras de carne. ¿Como puede ahora acceder OSHA a estos trabajadores en riesgo con información sobre seguridad? Para estos trabajadores, OSHA ya no significa seguridad, sino traición. La administración Bush debe denunciar este tipo de trampas que socavan la seguridad en el trabajo.” 

Constituency Groups, Press Releases, UFCW Values, United Latinos, Workplace Safety & Health

SAFETY SCAM THREATENS WORKERS’ LIVE

Jul 24, 2005

Washington, D.C. — The segment of the American workforce most likely to suffer injury or death on the job was targeted in a scam operation by the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. ICE officers masqueraded as safety instructors to round up documented and undocumented construction workers in North Carolina with a flier announcing a mandatory Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) meeting, earlier this month, then arrested 48 undocumented workers who attended the meeting.

“OSHA is responsible for worker safety and health,” said UFCW International President Joe Hansen.  “For ICE to stage a sham OSHA meeting in order to round up and arrest people undermines OSHA’s mission, and is a step backwards for state and federal efforts to reduce worker injuries and deaths. The word being brought back to worksites, after a scam like this, is that OSHA can’t be trusted. That kind of perception diminishes OSHA’s ability to do the critical work of protecting America’s labor force.”

There are more than 10 million foreign-born workers in the US, making up about 15% of the workforce. Immigrant workers have the highest rates of on-the-job injuries and fatalities.  Hispanic workers suffer 69% of all on-the-job injuries/deaths. In the meatpacking industry, more than half of the workers are foreign-born, and in some plants, up to 80% of the workers are immigrants.

“This unscrupulous action has shattered the trust between OSHA and the workers who depend on the agency the most,” said Hansen. “More and more often, it is immigrants who work in the most dangerous industries such as construction or meatpacking.  How can OSHA reach these at-risk workers with safety information now?  To these workers, OSHA no longer means safety, but betrayal. The Bush administration must denounce the kind of trickery that undermines safety.”"

Press Releases, UFCW Values

United Farm Workers of America Joins Change to Win Coalition

Jul 24, 2005
CHICAGO, IL  —  The United Farm Workers of America (UFW) announced today that it was joining the Change to Win Coalition, the new workers organization devoted to transforming the American labor movement.

“”To realize our goal of organizing significant numbers of low-to moderate-wage Latino and immigrant workers in the face of fierce employer resistance during the next decade, we must move aggressively to apply new resources and make changes in our own organization,”" said UFW President Arturo Rodriguez.  “”We are convinced the Change to Win Coalition mirrors our commitment of finding new ways to refocus on organizing and vigorously pursue anti-worker employers.”"

“”The Coalition is thrilled to have the Farm Workers join our efforts to improve the lives of millions of American workers,”" Coalition Chair Anna Burger said today.  “”This is a significant moment in American labor history.  The Union of Ceasar Chavez is the heart and soul of the labor movement, and its affiliation with our Coalition sends a powerful signal that we are on the right course.”"

“”The Farm Workers represent the highest aspirations of all American workers,”" Burger said.  “”Their historic commitment to organizing low-to moderate-wage workers is the essence of the Change to Win Coalition’s vision of giving hope to millions of workers seeking the American Dream.”"

The Change to Win Coalition was formed on June 15, 2005 to marshal the collective strength of its unions (listed below) to develop and implement strategies to bring the labor movement into the 21st century.  Since its inception, two additional unions, the Carpenters and the Farm Workers, have joined the original five.  The Change to Win Coalition unions represent nearly 6 million workers.