Mushroom Boycott(25)

RESOLUTION 25: Mushroom Boycott

WHEREAS THE LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS (LULAC) supports the purpose of fostering and enlarging the opportunities for training, education, civil rights, job opportunities, housing, economic development, and welfare of all Hispanics in the United States; and,

WHEREAS, the Latino population is the fastest growing population in the states of California, Florida, New York, and Texas, and;

WHEREAS, Cesar Chaves devoted his life to fighting for the rights of all Latinos, was recognized and continues to be recognized as a role model, by the naming of schools, parks, streets, and libraries all over the nation, and;

WHEREAS, Cesar Chavez' Untied Farm Workers of America has stood for the rights of Latinos and has been winning justice for farm workers for 35 years, and;

WHEREAS, Mushroom workers at Quincy Farms in Florida have been seeking union representation since October 1995, and in March 1996, 80 workers were fired for seeking this type of representation, and;

WHEREAS, Cesar Chavez taught us that the best ally of the farm workers to protest against injustice is economic boycott, and;

WHEREAS, LULAC stands with the Quincy Farms mushroom workers in their just fight for safer working conditions, dignity on the job, a livable wage, a grievance procedure and job security, and;

WHEREAS, On June 28, 1997, in support of the cause of these workers, LULAC members and leaders joined with national and local leaders of civil and labor rights, along with Cesar Chavez' United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO to bring thousands of supporters to the streets of Quincy, Florida, and;

WHEREAS, LULAC supports these workers in their long campaign to rehire all of the workers who were fired in March 1996 and have the right to select union representation without fear and intimidation from the company or its agents, and;

WHEREAS, Quincy Farms continues to intimidate and fire those workers who are actively organizing for union representation, and;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the 1998 National Assembly convened in Dallas, Texas on the 4th day of July, 1998, support the efforts of the Latino and African American workers at Quincy Farms to seek representation from Cesar Chavez' United Farm Workers of America, and;

THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that LULAC publicly endorse the boycott of mushrooms with the Prime Label in support of Quincy Farms mushrooms workers struggle for dignity and justice.

LULAC will actively support the boycott of mushrooms with the "Prime Label" by:

1. Having presidents of local chapters calling and writing Prime Farm Chief Executive Officer to ask him to rehire fired workers and recognize their rights.

2. Calling and writing CEO's of grocery stores asking to avoid carrying or to remove "Prime Label" mushrooms.

3. Having LULAC members leafleting their local grocery to ask customers to refrain from buying mushrooms with the Prime Label.

4. Including information on the Prime Label Boycott in LULAC publications.

Approved this 4th day of July, 1998.

Rick Dovalina
LULAC National President