A Time for Action: Justice for Farm Workers
by Julie Taylor*
Subsisting under the poorest working conditions for some of the lowest wages, migrant farm workers in the United States sometimes face oppressive situations with no opportunity to improve their work experience. The Women’s Division of the United Methodist Church, the policy-making body of United Methodist Women, has been an advocate of farm worker rights for many years. United Methodist Women members have participated in boycotts, letter writing campaigns and public protests in solidarity with farm workers.
Currently, the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) is focusing attention on the plight of tobacco farm workers in North Carolina. The workers have been seeking a meeting with the CEO of RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company to discuss farm worker concerns about fair treatment. To date, the CEO has refused to speak with them.
July 7, a letter signed by faith organizations from across the country will be delivered to the CEO. The Office of Child, Youth and Family Advocacy of the Women’s Division has signed this letter. You are invited to join in this call for justice, sign a postcard and mail it to the CEO to add to the impact of that letter. Your postcard may arrive before but we invite you to send it at any time so the CEO will know the signatures on the letter have widespread support. A copy of the postcard and background information on this effort are available for download at 
National Farm Worker Ministry’s website (PDF, 180K).
This was one of the opportunities provided at United Methodist Women’s Regional Schools of Christian Mission for response and it is a part of the ongoing relationship United Methodist Women shares with the National Farm Workers Ministry. Take time to share your concerns for those among us who work so hard in U.S. fields and deserve to be treated fairly.
For information about farm worker treatment and advocacy, go to www.nfwm.org
*Julie Taylor is an executive with the Women’s Division of the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries.
Date posted: Jul. 01, 2008
