Stand Up For Indigenous Farmworkers against Multinational Corporations

Pop quiz: You walk up to a Mexian farmworker in California. You would speak to them in Spanish or English, right?

Wrong. Today, almost a third of Mexican workers laboring in California’s farm fields don’t speak Spanish.

Why? Did the United Farmworkers’ “Take Our Jobs” Campaign convince white folks to start picking their own food?

Nope. These workers are indigenous Mexicans, mostly hailing from the southernmost Mexican states of Oaxaca, Guerrero and Chiapas.

Although the standard of living for the average Mexican is low by U.S. standards, indigenous Mexicans are even more poor, less educated and often with limited Spanish speaking abilities. As a result, indigenous Mexicans are both stigmatized by conservative politicians and targeted for abuse and discrimination by U.S. employers.

That's starting to change. United Farmworkers, a union representing migrant laborers, recently took aim at Giumarra, a multinational agricultural corporation whose workers filed suit after being subjected to abuse, insults and discrimination because of their indigenous ethnicity.

Giumarra, which distributes Nature’s Partner produce and is one of grocery giant Kroger’s biggest suppliers, claims on its website that its agricultural workers are well-treated, well-paid and happy.

Indigenous workers, however, have a different story. They claim bosses called them “Stupid Indians”, saying the workers were worthless and couldn’t learn. Earlier this year, a 17 year-old indigenous farmworker said she was subjected to repeated sexual harassment on Giumarra’s worksites, then fired when she and her co-workers complained.

Consumers need to stand up for indigenous farmworkers who suffer discrimination, harrassment and racism while picking the food for American dinner tables.

Help United Farmworkers call on Kroger, one of Giumarra’s most important customers, to pressure the company to start treating indigenous farmworkers with dignity and respect.

Photo Credit: Colectivoaliados