Gloria Gracida in San Diego: May 6 and 7, 2016

On behalf of San Quintin Farmworkers, Gloria Gracida visited San Diego on May 6 and 7, 2016. She was invited by Colectivo Tainh from San Diego City College and the group Raices sin Fronteras.

TAINH: Facebook Event

 Gloria Gracida in San Diego 

San Quintin Farmworker Struggle 

Friday, May 6 and 7, 2016

Gloria Gracida Martinez is a middle school teacher in the Valley of San Quintin in Baja California and is also a spokeswoman for the San Quintin Valley farmworkers. She is a special commissioner outside Mexico to promote the boycott against Driscoll's and to carry the message to brothers and sisters in the United States. Gloria Gracida grew up in San Quintin but her family comes from Oaxaca; she began working in the fields when she was 10 and saw all the injustices against women and children that also worked in the fields. 

Interview to Gloria Gracida

 Gloria Gracida Martinez es maestra de telesecundaria en el Valle de San Quintín en Baja California y es también portavoz de los y las jornaleras agrícolas del Valle de San Quintín y es comisionada especial fuera de México para hablar del boicot contra Driscoll´s y llevar el mensaje a los y las hermanas en Estados Unidos. Gloria creció en San Quintín pero su familia procede de Oaxaca; ella comenzó a trabajar en los campos cuando tenía 10 años y experimentó todas las injusticias que pasaban las mujeres y niños que igual que ella trabajaban en los campos agrícolas. Más información: https://www.facebook.com/pages/TAINH/263930150299810 Trabajadores agrícolas

San Diego with San Quintin Farmworkers

While in San Diego, Gloria Gracida visited San Diego City College, presented at the Centro Cultural de la Raza and leaded two actions of boycott in Cotsco Chula Vista and Wholefoods Hillcrest. 

Gloria Gracida, maestra de San Quintin difundiendo la lucha y el boicot contra las fresas y los berries de Driscoll visita a Club Tainh de San Diego City College.

Video after the presentation at Centro Cultural de la Raza

In support of the boycott, two groups entered Cotsco Chula Vista and Wholefoods Hillcrest. The managers of Cotsco expelled the group by force and called the police. Many costumers saw it and supported the boycott. The administration of Wholefoods let the boycott go ahead, but called the police after the group was outside of the store. 

Photos Boycott at Wholefoods

After midnight Saturday, Gloria, Rosa and Karen crossed the border to meet the concert of Rubén Albarrán of Cafe Tacuba. They asked him to support the farmworkers and he did so.

Video when Ruben Albarrán supports San Quintin:

Video

In national news, Democracy Now reported the boycott against Driscoll´s. An action in San Diego was included in the video report. 

 

Democracy Now

Message from San Quintin farmworkers to the United States

 

 

Message from San Quintin farmworkers to the United States

San Quintin Baja California, February 4, 2016
To: Social organizations, sisters and brothers in USA who have supportedthe struggle of San Quintínfamworkers, independent unions, scholars, activists, media workers
 

Agricultural workers in the Valley of San Quintin, which rose in strike on March 17 2015 to demand better working conditions invite you to supportour struggle once more. We ask you to mobilize from different points of the State of California from March 17 to 20, 2016, to meet with thousands of workersconducting a MEGA-MARCH from San Quintin up to the border by Tijuana Beachesneighborhood on 20 March.
 

This MEGA-March is to commemorate the first year of the start of the strike in San Quintin. To publicize that after a year from the historic work stoppage where thousands of workers left the camps and took to the streets demanding better working conditions, employers have not listened in good will to our demands and have establish measures to ensure our labor and human rights are respected in accordance with the law. On the contrary, we have beenharshly repressed by the forces from the three levels of the Government in complicity with businessmen, we were imprisoned, injured, we have suffered reprisals, mass dismissals, constant threats in the fields, increased workload for the same salary, are obligated to joincorporate unions that we have never represented us in exchange for keeping our jobs, among other labor abuses.
 

We ask your support for this day, March 17, to join our voices together with farmworkers of San Quintin, Mexico, in every corner of USA to say: BOYCOTT DRISCOLL's; to hold in all Driscoll'sWarehouses and in supermarkets such as Costco, Walmart, Whole Foods, Safeway, or any place where these products are sold.
 

BOYCOTT DRISCOLL's because it purchases most of the fruits which are harvested in this Valley (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries) and exploits just the same workers in United States such as our brothers of “FamiliasUnidas” in Washington who have called to BOYCOTT DRISCOLL's since more than two years ago.
 

Support from trade unionists and activists of USA was important in a first major victory that resulted in the legal registration of our National Democratic Independent Union of Agricultural Workers (SINDJA), therefore we ask once more your support to demand corporations such as Driscoll's, and the companies that make up the Agricultural Council of Baja California as well as from each agricultural sector to sign a collective agreement with this unique union which legally represents workers of San Quintin, Mexico.
 

United in the struggle we trust we can count on your support.
Alliance of National, State, and Municipal Organizations for Social Justice
National Democratic Independent Union of Fam Workers
For a better future and a new country!

Solidarity with San Quintin Farmworkers

Gathering of the Californias
Date: March 20th, 10 am
Place: Border Field State Park.
500 Monument Rd, San Diego, CA 92154
** We will be meeting at 10:00 AM at the parking lot**
There is a 45 min hike to reach our destination

#SanQuintín
#LasDosCalifornias
#BoycottDriscolls

The San Quintín farmworkers are still suffering retaliation, horrible treatment, and poor working conditions.
It’s time to report it!
In solidarity with San Quintin Farmworkers!!!

●    A Living Wage
●    Fair Working Conditions
●    Pesticide Regulation (“Organic”)
●    End to Sexual Abuse
●    Democratic Union

We will be meeting to support our sisters and brothers in the fight.

Directions to Border Field Park

From I-5 South take Exit 2 for Dairy Mart Rd. ▪ Go right on Dairy Mart Rd and drive on a windy road for about 4 mi. After you go over the bridge the bridge the road change names to Monument Rd. To get Google or GPS directions use “500 Monument Rd, San Diego, 92154”

More directions provided by Friendship Park.Org
http://www.friendshippark.org/#!map--directions/c1y3g

IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED BY UNION DEL BARRIO:
Recomendaciones para quienes vienen de fuera en particular:

1. En tiempo de lluvia el area tiende a inundar partes, por lo tanto se recomienda traer zapatos/tennis apropiados.
    
2. El area es un area altamente militarizada, se recomienda caminar en grupo, tener contactos de organizadores y personas localmente de San Diego por si la migra llegara a cuestionar a los participantes.

Solidaridad con las y los Jornaleros Agricolas 20 de Marzo 2016

Carta de San Quintín, Febrero 2016

La Alianza de Organizaciones Nacional Estatal y Municipal por la Justicia Social y el Sindicato Independiente Nacional Democrático de Jornaleros Agrícolas (SINDJA), invitan a todos los jornaleros y jornaleras de San Quintín y México, a todas las organizaciones, a todos los sindicatos democráticos de nuestro país, activistas y al público en general: