Working and Marching to Defend Workers Rights and for Just Immigration Reform, Washington, D.C.
April 9th, 2013
Dear Compañeros and Compañeras,
The USFSA represents a national alliance of more than 25 organizations working for food sovereignty, food justice, human rights and the rights of all workers in the food system, from the fields to the table. We are confident that these days of advocacy work and mobilization will represent not only a step forward for the movement to defend the rights of immigrants, migrant workers, farmworkers, and food chain workers, but also for all of us who are struggling for a more just society.
The USFSA began to form in 2008 as “the food crisis working group” and our call to action held, among others, the following key points:
- Establishing living wages, so that everyone can afford healthy food;
- Implementing full rights for farmworkers and other food system workers;
- Establishing equitable regional and global trade arrangements that enable countries, communities, and all farmers, fishers, pastoralists and other food providers to meet food and livelihood needs.
At the USFSA’s 1st National Assembly, held November of 2010 in Oakland, CA we created an Immigrant Rights and Trade work group to build solidarity, defend workers’ rights, and resist the expansion of any more free trade agreements. At our 2nd National Assembly, held March 17-19th, 2013 in Tampa, Florida we ratified the importance of the Immigrant Rights and Trade work group as fundamental to defend food sovereignty.
At the 2nd USFSA National Assembly we agreed that:
· WE call for a pathway for legal dignified employment for all immigrant workers of all skill-levels.
· WE oppose temporary low-wage guest worker programs that compromise the dignity, freedom, or livelihood of workers.
· WE support all workers’ right to the expansion and protection of collective bargaining, the right to strike, and the right to due process.
· WE call for an end to the detentions and deportations that tear apart immigrant families.
· WE will resist and work for the repeal of all of the unjust “free trade agreements” pushed by the corporations and our governments and which are destructive to the livelihoods of farmers in other countries, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
We believe that achieving the dignity and rights of farmworkers and other food chain workers is critical to achieving equitable and sustainable food economies. We pledge to engage in solidarity actions to defend the rights of all workers in the food chain as a pillar of food justice and food sovereignty.
For Legalization and Work with Dignity!
Food Sovereignty for All!
In Solidarity,
The Coordinating Committee of the US Food Sovereignty Alliance (USFSA)
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