FLOC’s card signing campaign – impressions from inside

By Dave Austin

This summer FLOC is launching an organizing drive to sign up 5,000 new members in the 2014 harvest season. Right now, only a small percentage of farmworkers in North Carolina (around 7,000) are covered by a FLOC union contract. In order to build pressure on the tobacco companies, that have the power to eliminate human rights abuses in their supply chains, FLOC seeks to build its union’s strength and presence throughout the state. This will be achieved by adding thousands of new members who are ready to fight for fair and safe living and working conditions. Beginning in June 2014, organizers have been out in the camps across North Carolina each night, talking with workers about the importance of having a union, the current campaign for farmworkers’ rights, and how to sign up and join the fight. In this piece, FLOC coordinator Dave Austin gives a glimpse inside of the sign-up campaign.

It’s 3:30 in the afternoon; 24 mostly 20-something-aged kids are role-playing in Spanish – an animated exchange between their comrades role-playing  “farm workers at the labor camp” and the 4 young FLOC organizers who comprise a team both for this role-play, and for the real-life interactions they’ll have in 4 hours out in real farmworker labor camps. Six teams of four practice for a total of 5 hours today. The “farmworkers” throw obstacles in the path of the union-recruiting organizer team trying to persuade the “farmworkers” that solidarity through FLOC is their best option for improving their own welfare in their own camp, and that of farmworkers across NC. 

All 24 know many of these obstacles well, for they’ve faced them every night – in real life -- for the last week …. and will for the next 7 weeks. I listen in as they’re reminded, in debriefing sessions, of best responses. For example: 

 “We already get paid here much better than in Mexico – why should we complain?” Response:  “But what control do you have?  If your paycheck is shorted, what can you do? If you’re charged a ridiculous amount for cooking or for transportation to Wal-Mart, what can you do? If the boss tells you to go into a field right after pesticide application, what can you do? If you get hurt, and your boss says ‘tough luck – better get a ride back to Mexico’ what do you do? Life may be OK now, but what about tomorrow?   When you have no control, things can go bad very fast. With a union, we get some control for ourselves, but also for our brothers and sisters across North Carolina.” 

There are many other dilemmas; some hard to prepare for: What about the worker who claims he was a FLOC member, and the union didn’t help him get workers’ comp? What would FLOC membership do for a member who just wasn’t getting enough work – what does the contract say? What if I encountered a “good” grower who complained about RJ Reynolds’ expensive contract requirements imposed on growers – can we engage this person in some way? There’s a crew leader who so intimidated workers in this camp that they just lied – said they were all already union members (untrue) just to get us to leave – what can we do?   Two workers had been drinking too much, and their behavior was close to inappropriate with the women organizers – what do we do? 

And there are the “good” dilemmas: “All 6 guys at the camp signed FLOC membership cards, and 3 were earnestly asking  ‘so what can we do?  How can we help?’  So how can we get these guys involved, when our job is to go out to more camps and get more signatures?”

The group deliberates hard and creatively over each of these questions and more. They want to be prepared for tonight and beyond. And what’s inspiring is how much they value preparation as a team – after only a week, they’ve all got each others’ backs. It’s an incredibly hard job – going out to sell the union to workers whose main focus has been simple survival and sending a little money back to Mexico for survival of their families (and who may have been told by their grower and/or crew leader to avoid the union at all costs).   But the young organizers are doing it with resolve and good cheer. And after just a few days, we have 296 cards signed, and the numbers continue to rise. We look forward to a great summer of organizing for respect on the job, recognition of our union, and a fair and equal wage!

Take Action!

If you would like to volunteer with FLOC there are several opportunities to do so:

• Saturday, July 12^th:  TFF will hold its next Pantry-Kangaroo rally – at 201 S. Estes Drive in Chapel Hill.  6:00 pm – 6:45 pm.  Just bring yourself – we’ll have banners, flags, and posters. 
• Sunday, July 13^th: Drivers needed to pick up workers at a specified farmworker labor camp on the way from the Triangle to FLOC’s office in Dudley for FLOC members’ eastern regional meeting. Meeting time likely ~ 1:00-4:00  PM; TBD.  Spanish helpful, but not required.
• Sunday, July 27^th: Meeting with FLOC and 2 members of British Parliament. Tentatively:  4:00 – 6:00 pm (may shift slightly depending on scheduling of additional labor camp visits that morning) Venue TBD.  
• For more information about any of these events email Dave Austin at daustin@mindspring.com.