Fruit, a meat packer at the IBP plant in Perry, Iowa, is a member of the United Food and Commercial Workers union.

Fruit was the first candidate to file for the ballot. On August 13 his supporters turned in 1,200 signatures, well over the required 666, to the city clerk's office, which the next day confirmed he would be on the ballot. The Des Moines Register printed a brief article on the socialist campaign.

By hitting the streets and talking to other working people about the growing resistance to the capitalists' attacks on our class, socialist campaigners have learned more about working-class fights going on in the city. While petitioning at a market frequented by Latin American immigrants, campaigners heard about a struggle at a local nonunion meatpacking plant where 10 workers were fired for protesting abuse by a supervisor.

Another worker, a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, told socialist petitioners that his boss was firing union members as the expiration date of their contract approached. As a "right-to-work" state, Iowa outlaws closed shops and makes union membership voluntary as a way to undercut union organization.

Fruit visited the picket lines at Titan Tire, where United Steelworkers of America (USWA) Local 164 has been on strike since 1998. Titan had announced in early August that a "tentative agreement on the terms and conditions of a five-plus-year contract" had been reached. The USWA, however, replied that negotiations continue and that the union continues to press for "a back-to-work agreement that provides for the return of Local 164 members to their jobs at the Des Moines facility." Support for the Titan strike and other labor struggles and union-organizing drives is a key part of Fruit's campaign.

Fruit is also speaking out in defense of the rights of immigrants. There is a debate under way in bourgeois circles over the "New Iowans" program proposed by Iowa governor Thomas Vilsack, which would grant $50,000 to each of three city governments "to help grow Iowa's population and help to reduce the state's work force shortage" by attracting immigrant workers. The program was primarily crafted to benefit employers.

In one of the cities, Mason City, a right-wing group called ProjectUSA gathered petitions against immigrant workers. At a July 25 town hall meeting in Mason City, ProjectUSA regional director Paul Westrum said, "If we don't do something soon, you can kiss this country good-bye." According to the Des Moines Register, some at the meeting "contended that immigrants would bring low wages, crime and even disease if they came to the state." Others at the meeting said immigrant workers should be welcomed.

"My campaign is speaking out against the attempts to divide our class between U.S.-born and immigrant workers on behalf of the bosses," said Fruit. "Immigrant workers do not lower wages or cause unemployment--the bosses do."

The only way forward for the labor movement, Fruit said, is to embrace and organize workers born in other countries, who bring their experiences in struggle and help strengthen the entire working class.

Kevin Dwire is a member of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1149.  
 
 
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