Florida Catholic | Farmworker Sunday

A FARMWORKER SUNDAY SPECIAL REPORT

Immigrants' rights, workplace safety

DENISE O’TOOLE KELLY | FLORIDA CATHOLIC MANAGING EDITOR

When “Chencho” arrived in the United States from Mexico 10 years ago, he worked in the fields and at any job he could find until he could save enough money to bring his family here. He has now found steady work managing the plant farm at a nursery.
ED FOSTER JR. | FC FILE

Tirso Moreno, director of the Farmworker Association of Florida, identified 2006 as a banner year for the group’s efforts on behalf of its thousands of member farmworkers throughout the state.

Among the successes were the immigrants’ rights rally and march held in downtown Orlando May 1, 2006, and the passage of the Transportation Safety Act in 2006, a state law requiring seat belts in passenger vans that transport farmworkers. Vehicle accidents en route to and from fields have been a leading cause of death among farmworkers.

“Blocking the passage of harsh and mean-spirited anti-immigrant ordinances in the towns of Avon Park and Palm Bay in 2006 were, also, unprecedented successes that FWAF helped to lead,” Moreno said.

Immigrants’ rights continue to top the agenda for the association, which has five offices in the state. Passing in-state tuition for immigrant students, expanding the state KidCare program to include the children of immigrants, and offering driver’s licenses to immigrants are three major issues that FWAF has been working on and will continue to push for in 2008.

The Farmworker Association of Florida includes fern-industry workers in Volusia, Putnam and Lake counties, houseplant and landscape nursery workers in Orange, Seminole, Lake and Osceola counties, and citrus workers in Indian River County. Its members in Dade County are coping with a rapid shift away from tomato and other vegetable crops toward foliage nurseries.

ONE :: Agricultural laborers, advocates celebrate progress | TWO :: Immigrants' Rights, Workplace Safety
THREE :: Tomato Prices | FOUR :: Union Holds Ground | FIVE :: Meeting Families' Needs