Migrant workers employed by Seneca Foods will demonstrate Thursday to oppose working conditions at the company and demand dignity and respect.
The demonstration, organized by Centro Campesino, will be Thursday, Sept. 29, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Seneca Foods plant, 600 5th St. SE, Montgomery.
The Seneca plant employs more than 700 workers, mostly migrant workers from Texas, and packs and cans vegetables under major labels such as Green Giant/General Mills, Libby's, Stokely, and numerous private store brands. The workers at Seneca have started to organize a union to defend their rights and dignity on the job.
This year, Seneca unilaterally cut the annual bonus paid to the workers to 10 percent from 15 percent. One reason given by Seneca was the increase in the Minnesota minimum wage.
"Such an action is unfair to the workers who expected and deserved the bonus and it totally defeats why the minimum wage was raised -- to make sure workers are paid a fairer wage," Centro Campesino said.
Other problems the workers face include crowded living conditions (up to 20 people living in one trailer); lack of kitchen facilities and bathrooms; low wages and no health insurance.
One employee, Jaime Alarcon, was fired Sept. 18 for union organizing activities, in violation of the National Labor Relations Act, Centro said.
"We are not going to continue accepting the humiliation of these abusive people," said one of the workers, Leonardo Cornejo. "They must understand that we are hard working poor people that loyally work for Seneca but we are very tired and sad. Today, I am here in the north, my kids are in Texas, and I am standing up for them, for the next generation of workers. Today I want to find out if justice exists and that is why I took the decision to speak up against these people."
Centro Campesino, based in Owatonna, has the mission of improving the lives of migrant workers and rural Latinos and to create a strong voice for Latinos in southern Minnesota.
For more information
Visit the Centro Campesino website, www.centrocampesino.net
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Migrant workers employed by Seneca Foods will demonstrate Thursday to oppose working conditions at the company and demand dignity and respect.
The demonstration, organized by Centro Campesino, will be Thursday, Sept. 29, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Seneca Foods plant, 600 5th St. SE, Montgomery.
The Seneca plant employs more than 700 workers, mostly migrant workers from Texas, and packs and cans vegetables under major labels such as Green Giant/General Mills, Libby’s, Stokely, and numerous private store brands. The workers at Seneca have started to organize a union to defend their rights and dignity on the job.
This year, Seneca unilaterally cut the annual bonus paid to the workers to 10 percent from 15 percent. One reason given by Seneca was the increase in the Minnesota minimum wage.
“Such an action is unfair to the workers who expected and deserved the bonus and it totally defeats why the minimum wage was raised — to make sure workers are paid a fairer wage,” Centro Campesino said.
Other problems the workers face include crowded living conditions (up to 20 people living in one trailer); lack of kitchen facilities and bathrooms; low wages and no health insurance.
One employee, Jaime Alarcon, was fired Sept. 18 for union organizing activities, in violation of the National Labor Relations Act, Centro said.
“We are not going to continue accepting the humiliation of these abusive people,” said one of the workers, Leonardo Cornejo. “They must understand that we are hard working poor people that loyally work for Seneca but we are very tired and sad. Today, I am here in the north, my kids are in Texas, and I am standing up for them, for the next generation of workers. Today I want to find out if justice exists and that is why I took the decision to speak up against these people.”
Centro Campesino, based in Owatonna, has the mission of improving the lives of migrant workers and rural Latinos and to create a strong voice for Latinos in southern Minnesota.
For more information
Visit the Centro Campesino website, www.centrocampesino.net