Report
On The Mt. Olive Pickle Boycott By The Farm Labor Organizing Committee
And
Migrant Farm Worker Conditions In North Carolina And In the United
States
“Scripture
doesn’t give us a lot of choice in situations like this; we are clearly called to
stand with the poor.” Virginia Nesmith, Executive Director,
National Farm Worker Ministry.
For the fifty
years of its life, the National Council of Churches has consistently and vigorously
defended and supported efforts to improve the working conditions of farm workers in the
United States. The numerous policy statements and resolutions that the NCCC has approved
and adopted over the years is a reflection of the commitment, leadership and witness of the church in advocating for the rights
of farm workers.
In September of 1951 the General Board of the NCC issued a statement entitled “Concern of the Churches for Migratory Farm Laborers'” in which the following clauses of the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights were affirmed: “that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedom¼without distinction of race, religion, origin or status. Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favorable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment; to join trade unions and to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family."
In December of
1966 another NCCC policy statement that addressed the “Concern of
the Churches
for Seasonal Farm Workers” was adopted.
Recognizing that work by churches in Migrant Ministries has gone on since
1920, this 1966 policy statement pointed out that: "The
political and legal situation of both migratory and settling farm workers marks them as
second class citizens...Specific exemptions written into law bar them from coverage under
federal minimum wage legislation, unemployment insurance and, in most states, workmen's
compensation. Full implementation of legal
social security coverage is limited. They are denied protection in the right to
organize for collective bargaining and access
to the services of the National Labor Relations Board. They suffer widespread discrimination based on
their transience and in many cases on their race and ethnic origin."
Although based on
the situation in 1966, these statements are striking in how relevant and accurate they are
in portraying the current situation of migrant farm workers. Strong Christian witness and
church involvement contributed to the success of the United Farm Workers Union (UFW),
under the leadership of Cesar Chavez, in improving conditions for farm workers during the
decades of the 1960’s and 70’s. Evidently,
many of those gains have slipped away in the intervening years due to new economic and
demographic realities.
The 1966 policy
statement clearly recognized that “the farm
worker is essentially deprived of the power to participate in decision-making that affects
his welfare and life” and encouraged that the “Church should interpret the basic injustice in farm
labor and provide encouragement and assistance to the organization of these workers. This does not necessarily mean providing
leadership as such but it does mean standing with them and working with them, sometimes
against the total community, for equality in the economic, social and political areas of
life; and above all, to discover and uphold truth”.
In addition to
the specific policy statements cited above, the issue of justice for farm workers is
clearly supported in other policy statements including:
“Ethical Goals for Agricultural
Policy”, adopted by the General Board on June 4, 1958 and “Christian
Principles
and Assumptions for Economic Life”, adopted by the General Board on September
15, 1954. Other NCCC resolutions clearly support the rights of farm workers to union
representation and expressed concern for child workers in agriculture. The Council has, in
the past, also supported consumer boycotts, aimed at achieving collective bargaining
rights for farm workers. These include the iceberg lettuce and grape boycotts and the
boycott of Campbell’s Soup.
The consistently
strong commitment of the NCCC for justice for farm workers is also demonstrated in the
close working relationships and support of other faith based organizations working on this
issue. The National Farm Worker Ministry (NFWM) is one of these organizations that has
provided leadership to the ecumenical community on farm worker issues, for over seven
decades.