In one of the biggest labor hungerstrikes in U.S. History, over 50 farmworkers from the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and representatives of national and international farm and labor organizations have entered day 2 of their hungerstrike at the headquarters of Taco Bell in Irvine Ca.
After a story ran on spanish T.V. En Rojo Vivo people called from around the country to encourage the workers and share thoughts of support. After events at U.C. Irvine and demonstations in solidarity around the country, there will be a celebration in honor of the strikers at the Centro Cultural Mexicano. 30 Coalition workers will attend the events to enjoy music and share the message of the hungerstrikers.
The hungerstikers have 3 requests
1 cent more per pound of tomatoes picked (they are recieving the same 43 per 32 pounds paid in 1978)
To be included in contract and price negotiations between Taco Bell and tomato gorwers
The adoption of a corporate code of conduct to eliminate slavery from americas farmfields (In the last 5 years in south Florida there have been 5 convictions in federal court on slavery charges (charges brought by civil rights dept of the U.S dep't of Justice
More later