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Volume I, Number 5
Serving the Híspame community.
Ecumenical Ministries
supports farm workers
S- ■"•• '» > .,
., s V November 6, 1996
NO VEMBER
IS
NA TIONAL
ADOPTION
A WARE NESS
M ONTH
iSfejMSiiJ
to
Oregon farmworkers p ro tested unfair labor practices earlier this year. The film "Aumento Ya (A Raise Now)'' docum ents their
struggle. S e e Hispanic Community Calendar for information.
(Portland) By a unanimous vote, the
Board o f Directors of Ecumenical Ministries
of Oregon has affirmed its support o f Oregon
farm workers who desire to organize for the
purpose of collective bargaining with Ore­
gon growers.
The resolution further requests that
NORPAC Foods, Inc., a cooperative owned
by growers, to enact a written policy of non­
retaliation for worker complaints or efforts
by workers to organize or unionize, and calls
upon EMO member congregations to stand
with Oregon farm workers who face any form
of retaliation by their employers for com­
plaints as to working conditions or attempts
to organize.
Ecumenical Ministries o f Oregon has rea­
son to believe that some growers would be
willing undertake dialogue regarding the
workers’ rights to organize and bargain col­
lectively, and pledges its support to those
growers.
EMOcallsupon NORPAC Foods, Inc., its
member growers, Kraemer Farms, and all
other simi larly situated farms to condone and
honor-with no retaliation-a confidential vote
of workers to determine whether Pineros y
Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN) is
to be their bargaining representative.
The Board of Directors is currently con­
sidering whether it will endorse the boycott
of NORPAC Foods and Kraemer Farms, and
will announce its decision on November 12.
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, while
supporting the rights of farm workers to have
suitable housing and benefits, as well as
adequate wages, also has a positive history of
support for Oregon farmers, and regards the
present conflict between growers and work­
ers as a tragic situation for both.
Portions oi the EMO Resolution read
as follows:
"Whereas, Oregon farmworkers can le­
gally be fired fo r union organizing activity or
complaining about the conditions o f their
employment; and
"Whereas, Oregon growers employing
farm workers, including Norpac Foods,
Inc. —a conglomerate o f250growers- have
refused to recognize the rights o f Oregon
farm workers to organize and collectively
bargain, and
"Whereas, Many o f those same growers
themselves belong to organizations designed
to enhance their economic well being and, in
some cases, specifically designed to under­
mine the organizing efforts o f workers. Ex­
amples o f such associations are Norpac
Foods, Inc ; Agripac, INc.; the Marionberry
Growers Association; and the Council fo r
Agricultural Employers, and
"Whereas, various growers and associa­
tions o f growers refuse to recognize Pineros
y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN)
as the representative o f Oregon farm work­
ers, and;
"Whereas, various growers and associa­
tions o f growers refuse to allow or honor an
election to allow the workers themselves to
choose whether they want PCUN to repre­
sent them; and...
"Whereas, EMO Board members and nu­
merous congregations and individual mem­
bers o f the faith community in Oregon have
witnessed living and working conditions o f
many Oregon farm workers which are sub­
standard and an affront to basic human
dignity; and
Whereas, Many Oregon farm workers
continue to suffer from! the effects o f low pay.
absence o f basic benefits, little respect for
their valuable contributions and tack o f fu ll
participation in their industry; and
"Whereas, Farm workers who express
grievances or a desire to organize continue
to be the victims o f threats and intimidation
by growers or employees and agents of grow­
ers, and
" Whereas. The Boai d o f Directors o f Ec­
umenical Ministries o f Oregon, by way o f
resolution dated May 23, 1996, called upon
Kraemer Farms and other similarly situated
farms to take all steps necessary to allow
farm workers to organize and bargain col­
lectively without fear o f reprisal should they
do so immediately; and
"Whereas, Such farm s have refused to
take any steps necessary to allow farm work­
ers to organize and bargain collectively with­
outfear ofreprisal if they do so immediately;
and
"Whereas, The Board o f Directors o f Ec­
umenical Ministries o f Oregon is commuted
to assuring that farm workers in this state
have the rights ot free expression without
fear o f losing their livelihoods and to orga­
nize and bargain collectively should they
choose to do so; and
"Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved that Ec­
umenical Ministries o f Oregon concludes
that farm workers in this State have the
inherent and God-given right to choose to
organize themselves fo r collective bargain­
ing without fear o f retaliation or rep risa l-
rights which are currently enjoyed by many
o f the growers who employ them
Be it Further Resolved that the absence
o f laws protecting the right offarm workers
to organize and collectively bargain and the
unwillingness o f growers to negotiate con­
tracts setting forth basic employment rights
renders farm workers helpless and subject to
economic exploitation by their employers;
"Be it Further Resolved that Ecumenical
Ministries o f Oregon considers the refusal o f
Norpac Foods, Inc., Kraemer Farms and
other growers even to discuss the issue o f the
right to organize and collectively bargain
with farm workers, as well as their firm and
unyielding position in opposition to such
rights, to show a lack o f good faith and a
breach o f their fundamental obligation to
respect and uphold the human dignity o f all
citizens;....
"Be it Further Resolved that Ecumenical
Ministries of Oregon considers the refusal of
Norpac Foods. In c , Kraemer Farms to rec­
ognize PCUN as the representative o f the
workers, white at the same time refusing to
condone and honor a fa ir and confidential
election to determine whether PCUN in fact
represents the majority o f the workers to
show a lack o f good faith and a breach of
their fundamental obligation to respect and
uphold the human dignity o f alt citizens;
"Be it Further Resolved that the Board of
Directors o f Ecumenical Ministries of Ore­
gon calls upon Norpac Foods, In c , at or
bef ore its December 1996 annual meeting, to
enact a written policy o f non-retaliation for
worker complaints or efforts by workers to
organize or unionize;
"Be it Further Resolved that Ecumenical
Ministries o f Oregon pledges its support to
any individual growers who are willing to
undertake dialogue regarding the workers
rights to organize and collectively bargain,
"Be it Further Resolved that (EMO) shall
take all necessary steps to assure that the
issues o f the workers ' inherent right to orga­
nize and bargain collectively remain at the
forefront o f public debate in this state until
such time as those rights are recognized.
Be it Further Resolved that (EMO) ded­
icates its staff and resources to educating us
r
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■I
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"Zapata, el caudillo cam pesino" by Diego Rivera, Palacio de Cortez,
Cuernavaca, México
Continued to page B2
Olmos y OCHA here Nov 12
Latinos están un recurso valioso
Conference November 12th
drew in Florida.
“ Latinos are a Vibrant Resource” is the
theme for the Oregon Council for Hispanic
Advancement's (OCHA) 12th annual con­
ference, which will be held November 12, at
the Red Lion Jantzen Beach.
This event will focus on the power and
potential in our rapidly growing Hispanic
population. The Keynote speaker will be
Edward James Olmos, award-winning actor
and activist.
Latino economic power
I he number of Hispanics living in the
Northwest has increased by 23 per cent
since 1990 and is now well over 360,000,
with an annual purchasing power of more
than $2 billion dollars.
Nationally, the US’ 27 million people of
Hispanic ancestry spend $228 billion dol­
lars annually.
Oregon s Hispanic population is a rich
resource. When its members realize their
full potential as students, business people,
community leaders, employees and con­
sumers, everyone benefits.
A world-class humanitarian
Mr. Olmos is perhaps the most widely
recognizable of Hispanics today, but it is in
his roles outside of acting that he hopes he
will be remembered.
Mr Olmos is an active humanitarian who
sits on the board of more than a dozen public
service, educational and health care organi­
zations and has been awarded honorary doc­
torate degrees from five institutions. He is
t he U. S. Good wi 11A m bassador for IJN 1C E F,
and the national spokesman for Voter Reg­
istration, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation
and the AIDS Awareness Foundation.
OCHA offers workshops
Edward Jam es Olmos
On average, Mr Olmos speaks at 250
schools, charities and juvenile institutions a
year and was instrumental in the clean-up
efforts following the Los Angeles riots,
Northridge earthquake and Hurricane An-
A number ofworkshops will be offered in
the program, including: Latinos and Latinas,
Recreating the Way We Relate; Market
Trends; Diversity in the Workplace; Youth
Violence Prevention; and Legislative Is­
sues Affecting the Hispanic Community.
For information regarding this valuable
and essential conferencecallOCHA at (503)
228-4131.