Exploited Thai guest workers need your help!

Immigrant Workers Watch
Project of National Immigrant Solidarity Network
URL: http://www.ImmigrantSolidarity.org


Exploited Thai guest workers need your help!
From: United Farm Workers ufwofamer [at] aol.com
March 9, 2005


167 More Reasons for AgJOBS Legislation

Guestworkers continue to be exploited by companies, like Global Horizons,
an international farm labor contractor based out of Los Angeles, with
operations in 25 states around the country.

Last year, Global Horizons brought 167 agricultural workers from Thailand
to work in the Washington apple industry under the current guestworker
program.

According to the WA Dept of Health, these workers were forced to live in
outrageously crowded, unsanitary conditions--with only 21 beds for 45
people at one location, no cooking facilities at multiple locations, and
workers were forced to wash their clothes in trash cans. Additionally,
some of the Thai workers told officials that they weren't receiving pay
stubs and that money deducted from their paychecks to be sent back home
never arrived.

It's the Department of Labor's job to make sure that employers like Global
comply with all laws and to take action when they don't. Yet DOL allowed
Global to start operating in WA without even making sure that the company
had the required licenses!

Global Horizons operates in 25 other states...what is occurring there?

The guestworker program has a history of abuse. It is time to hold the U.S.
Department of Labor accountable for enforcing laws that protect workers and
to reform our current immigration laws through proposed legislation already
in Congress called AgJOBS.

Click here to take action!
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/ThaiH2A

Please email U.S. Secretary of Labor, Elaine Chao today. Tell her that you
hold the U.S. Department of Labor accountable for these inhumane conditions.


The Department of Labor must to do its job and carefully review applications
of
companies that request guestworkers and ensure that companies are in full
compliance with the law.



Tell-A-Friend: Visit the web address below to tell your friends about story
of Ana Cruz, an undocumented farm worker:
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/AgJobs_AnaCruz


For background information on AgJobs, please go to:
http://www.ufw.org/agjobs.htm



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