WELCOME
The Campaign for Migrant Worker Justice is a not-for-profit tax-exempt organization founded to support the human rights and self-determination for those involved in the farm labor and immigrant rights movements. Our primary partner in these efforts is the Farm Labor Organizing Committee AFL-CIO, with operations in the Midwest, the South, and Mexico.
The overall goal of CMWJ is to enable agricultural and immigrant workers to have a direct voice in their conditions. The primary activities of CMWJ include:
- Community Organizing to build a base among migrant workers and empower them to achieve self-determination and human rights through organizing themselves locally, nationally, and internationally to promote the rights and opportunities for themselves and their families.
- Education to develop the knowledge and skills to enable migrant workers to be active participants in collective decisions regarding their job conditions and compensation, and to promote their rights on the job site and in the community. We also utilize popular education to build popular understanding and support for the human rights of migrant workers.
- Community Services to help support migrant workers in meeting social and economic challenges, particularly where existing social services are not adequate in meeting their needs.
- Research to better understand the causes of migrant worker conditions, and to apply these understandings in making social changes to achieve their rights and their effective functioning as a part of the larger society.
- Advocacy to support the rights of migrant workers and to promote social changes that improve their effective functioning as a part of the larger society. We also build and mobilize broad based community support for migrant worker justice.
An important function in carrying out this mission is raising funds to support these activities, particularly to support staff and facilities for these activities.
Thank You! We appreciate your support! It has always been the commitments and efforts of our supporters that have made our victories possible. As we continue the struggle for justice, we know we can count on you as we face new challenges and victories together.
Announcement
The CAMPAIGN FOR MIGRANT WORKER JUSTICE
Endorses FLOC'S Efforts for Justice
from RJ Reynolds Tobacco
The Campaign for Migrant Worker Justice Inc. endorses the efforts by the Farm Labor Organizing Committee AFL-CIO to seek justice for tobacco field workers producing the products of RJ Reynolds.
It is well known that in the past two years six field workers have died in North Carolina tobacco fields. This is only the tip of the iceberg to the slave-like hardships suffered by these workers, including:
- racism
- long hours of stoop labor in the fields
- harassment in their work
- abject poverty
- staggering debt
- exposure to lethal nicotine and pesticides
- poor health
- miserable housing in labor camps
- denial of basic labor and human rights protections
CMWJ recognizes that the most serious problem faced by tobacco field workers is that they have no voice in those conditions that impact on their lives. If they complain about mistreatment or their productivity declines from tobacco sickness, they can be fired without question.
CMWJ agrees with FLOC that it is the structure of the agricultural system that fosters these injustices. Big tobacco companies are among the richest corporations, because they have a monopoly on the PROCUREMENT SYSTEM, as well as the marketing and distribution of tobacco products. They determine what price they pay farmers, and therefore the pay and conditions of field workers. With their excessive wealth and power, they could do something about this situation, but have chosen to ignore this suffering in their drive for greater profits.
CMWJ believes that the most effective way for tobacco field workers in North Carolina to gain a direct voice in their own conditions is through labor agreements with the tobacco companies and their growers. This follows the FLOC model of involving all parties involved in the production of agricultural products in labor agreements, and providing important means for workers to address their conditions through contractual standards and grievance procedures in the fields and camps.
CMWJ calls upon those who believe in justice to support FLOC in its efforts to win labor and human rights for tobacco field workers in North Carolina producing products for RJ Reynolds Tobacco.
For more information, go to:
FLOC SEEKS JUSTICE FROM RJ REYNOLDS