The Workers Committee is organizing a fight for union representation by meat packers at ConAgra Northern States Beef plant.

On April 14 some of the committee leaders attended the union meeting of mechanics in the plant, who voted in the United Food and Commercial Workers union in November 2000. In a ballot at the same time production workers lost the union vote. The workers were invited to the meeting to discuss ways in which the mechanics can support the new organizing drive among their co-workers in production departments.

After the meeting four of the production workers got together to look through Perspectiva Mundial, and began to discuss the case of the Cuban revolutionaries. After seeing the prison addresses of the five listed in the Militant, which encourages readers to write to the framed-up Cuban patriots, the meat packers decided that it was important to support them.

"They are fighting even harder than us to fix their situation," said Eulalio Robles, 62, a 12-year veteran of the kill floor. "Receiving letters of support can give them encouragement to keep on fighting. This way they know there are people who support them even though they’re alone in prison."

Juan Valadez said workers "already did a letter of support for our fired co-worker and it had a positive impact." Valadez was referring to a Workers Committee-organized petition signed by 140 workers a few months ago to back Tiberio Chávez, a union mechanic framed up and dismissed by the company. "They need to know they are not alone, that there are people outside the prison that are fighting with them. With this letter we hope to show them solidarity. As we’re learning in our fight, Si se puede! [Yes, we can!]"

The following is a letter by four meat packers at ConAgra Northern States Beef and two at Nebraska Beef. The letter was written in Spanish. Translation is by the Militant.

Dear René, Antonio, Gerardo, Fernando, and Ramón,

We learned about your case. We are a small group fighting for our rights. We are meat packers in Omaha. We are fighting for solidarity. We are fighting to get a union. We are going to win!

We are aware of your situation and want to show you our support. We support you because you are fighting like us. We are in the boxing ring just like you.

Upward and forward! On to victory.

May 3 is our big day, which is the day of the election [at ConAgra] in order to win the union. We will send you another letter to let you know about our victory.

Remember--Sí se puede!
 
 
Related article:
“The future is one of justice, solidarity, and peace”
 
 
 
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