AgWorker Organizer Killed in Mexico

James Parks on the AFL-CIO blog (here) reports that AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) President Baldemar Velásquez called for a complete investigation into the murder of Santiago Rafael Cruz and pledged to keep fighting for the rights of workers in the United States and Mexico. Cruz, 29, a FLOC organizer, was found beaten to death on April 9 in the union’s office in Monterrey, Mexico. Velásquez says FLOC investigations have uncovered widespread corruption among Mexican labor recruiters who hire for U.S. agribusiness. FLOC opened an office in Monterrey next to the U.S. Consulate in 2005 to help members coming to North Carolina as guest workers in processing their visas, to fight corruption in the recruitment process and to develop leaders and train members. The office also helps workers who live part of the year in Mexico enforce their rights under a collective agreement that FLOC signed with North Carolina growers in 2005. The workers won the unique agreement after a 10-year campaign for recognition. The office has been the target of break-ins with files and equipment destroyed.

KJ