BY SUSAN LAMONT
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - A busload of unionists and farmers
from Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama were among the fighters
who made the trip to Washington, D.C., March 2, to
participate in the farmers' rally protesting the proposed
consent decree settlement.
The bus was initiated by Eddie Carthan, president of the Mississippi Family Farmers, from Tchula, a center of farm organizing in the Mississippi Delta. Members of the Catfish Workers of America from nearby Belzoni, Mississippi - several of whom are farmers themselves - got on board as well. They were fired from Freshwater Farms catfish processing plant in November for protesting inhuman working conditions. Part of their ongoing fight has been extending solidarity to other working people in struggle, including going to a rally for striking steelworkers at Titan Tire in Natchez, Mississippi. That's where they first met the locked-out Crown Central Petroleum workers from Houston, Texas.
The Mississippi farmers welcomed the news that several Crown workers were planning to make the trip to D.C., as well as unionists from Birmingham.
Six Crown workers and supporters drove to Tchula, where they got on the bus with the nine catfish workers and five Delta farmers, who included the two bus drivers. The group then drove to Birmingham and picked up four United Auto Workers members who work at the PEMCO aerospace plant, and several other unionists.
This was the fourth time this group of workers and farmers had joined together in solidarity activities. Their growing collaboration and confidence in each other took a step forward on the way home.
Dean Cook, a leader of the Crown workers, and Joann Hogan, a leader of the catfish workers, initiated a meeting on the bus - as we barreled down the highway in the dead of night, headed back home. Using the bus sound system and a bullhorn that the Crown workers brought, we spent several hours discussing plans for a rally and other activities to back the catfish workers, to be held on the weekend of April 10, when the Buffalo Fish Festival is set for Belzoni.
We shared experiences and talked through everyone's ideas about how the solidarity that is growing among workers and farmers in the South could be brought to bear on the side of the catfish workers. The experience of the Crown workers, who have kept their fight going for three years, was especially appreciated by the catfish workers. David Howard, a farm leader from Tchula, pledged the support of the Mileston Co- op.
The CWA members will be meeting back in Belzoni to finalize plans.
Susan LaMont is a member of United Steelworkers Local 2122.