Feeding the world
Farm work is a demanding job, and without migrant workers,
it’s difficult to imagine much of it getting done. To show its appreciation,
the Brockport community has held “Bienvenida” for the last 20 years, a day to
welcome migrant workers, the vast majority of whom now come from Mexico. “This
is a celebration of welcome and of gratitude,” said Sister Judy Justinger.
Around 200
migrant workers and community members came together for a Mass, a meal, and
some dancing. “It’s a chance for the community to celebrate the harvest with
workers who are coming to do a difficult job,” said Brockport Mayor Josephine
Matela. “We recognize the work they do in providing food for us, New York and,
really, the world.”
The
celebration is not only a chance to recognize the work that migrant workers do,
but also to introduce them to the community. “People don’t know migrant
workers,” said Manuela Swanger. “This is a chance for the community to meet
them.” Aspacio Alcantara agreed. “This type of event is trying to make a bridge
between the community and farmworkers,” he said.
One worker
from Gurerro particularly enjoyed the event. “It feels nice,” he said, “like
family.” Isidro, who comes from Michoacan, was also thankful for the welcome.
“It’s a beautiful thing that we can all get together like this and get to know
each other. I’m happy with people here for recognizing farmworkers.”
But in the
midst of the celebration was a reminder just how difficult a migrant worker’s
life still is. One advocate found 12 men living in a broken-down van not far
from a migrant camp. The men had worked just one day in the last month and were
out of money. They were brought to the celebration not for a welcome, but for
food.
— Joseph Sorrentino
Phone demo
On a sunny June 19, around 300 telephone company workers
marched and chanted outside the Frontier/Citizens
Communications offices at Washington Square. The members of Communications Workers of America Local
1170 were steamed about Frontier’s laying off 40 union members that week
(on top of 30 in March), and about the fact that the company continues to use
non-union contract workers for some functions. “The company is hurting
financially, and they’re taking it out on us,” said marcher Cynthia Hodge, a
cable splicer for 14 years.
Local 1170,
said union president Linda McGrath, has filed charges with the National Labor
Relations Board, and the process is moving toward arbitration. The major issue,
she says, is that the company has kept contract workers on board while laying
off union members.
Frontier
spokesperson Tor Constantino said the pain is being shared: The company also
has laid off 80 management people. “It’s the reality of the economy,” he said.
“We’re losing market share, and the customers we do have are reviewing their
discretionary expenses.” What about the contract workers? According to
Constantino, they’re used only for “ditch-digging” type jobs, not the skilled
jobs union members hold.
Back on the
street, Cynthia Hodge was angry that top execs weren’t feeling the same pinch
as those laid off. Indeed, Citizens Communications CEO Leonard Tow pulled down
$1.5 million in compensation last year, plus more than $600,000 in exercised
stock options, according to Yahoo Market Watch and the AFL-CIO.
Show
must go on?
The US Navy Blue
Angels and other weapons of mass entertainment made the Rochester skies a
little less friendly June 22 and 23. Lucky Rochesterians who didn’t attend were
made an audience nonetheless as sonic booms rattled neighborhoods across the
map.
But the
cognitive dissonance was worse. Dave Vigren, CEO of ESL Federal Credit Union,
main sponsor of the show, said “area families” were the beneficiaries. In a
Monroe County news release, he maintained such events are “a key ingredient in
helping to make the Rochester area such a special place to live.”
If that’s
so, then ideological blinders, not to mention earplugs, are key ingredients,
too. That’s because of the raw militarism on display. The Blue Angels website
is upfront: The team’s lofty mission is “to enhance Navy recruiting, and
credibly represent
[US] armed forces to America and other countries as
international ambassadors of good will.” Translation: get more people involved
in force projection, or plain imperial muscle. Just ask the people of Iraq who
regularly have to attend US military air shows of force.
Two
Rochester groups, Pax Christi and the Catholic Worker, showed up to
protest the fallen Angels. (Which reminds us: military air shows have a bad
history of accidents.) “We were there to protest weapons, which the airplanes
are,” says Pax Christi member Jan Bezila. “They are not toys. They are not fun.
Unfortunately, this is promoted as a family event.”
Conservancy feels the Tug
Northern New York’s Tug
Hill Plateau is not just an Adirondack fringe area. It’s a delight in
itself, with attractions like the Salmon River and Fish Creek, farming
communities and isolated hamlets, and famously snowy winters.
Now the Nature Conservancy of New York will
preserve a big chunk of the plateau. With the help of New York State, the
Conservancy will pay Hancock Timber company $9.1 million for almost 45,000
acres in Lewis County. This, says a news release, will be the “largest land
acquisition that the Conservancy has negotiated in the state of New York.” The
acquisition, known as the “East Branch of Fish Creek site,” includes extensive
wetlands as well as spruce and mixed-hardwood forests, says the news release.
The
Conservancy will own 13,000 acres outright, says the news release. And by
agreement, a Boston-based timber company will “manage” the remainder of the
land, using “sustainable forestry” techniques. The entire acreage will be
protected by conservation easements, in cooperation with state government.
Tug Hill,
its recreational trails, and fishing sites are big draws for Rochesterians.
Most likely the Conservancy’s new deal will enhance the relationship.
This article appears in Jun 19-25, 2002.
