Governor to encourage talks between growers and workers;

Coalition suspends protests in hopes of resolution, recognition of holy season;

Year 2000 will see continued protests if no progress forthcoming

December 19, 1999

Immokalee, FL -- On Friday, December 17, Coalition members met with top aides to Governor Jeb Bush to present and discuss the petition of 1,700 Immokalee farmworkers for dialogue with area tomato growers and a living wage. Aides to Governor Bush and Coalition representatives engaged in a sincere and constructive dialogue, following which the governor,s aides assured the workers that Governor Bush would do everything in his power to encourage talks between growers and workers and continue to press for improved conditions for Florida's farmworkers.

"The problem in Immokalee is first and foremost a question of basic human rights and respect for human dignity," said Lucas Benitez following the meeting. "We have asked the governor to help us secure our right to direct talks with our employers on the issues of wages and other working conditions. This is undoubtedly the most fundamental right of all workers, yet farmworkers are still excluded from the laws that define and protect this right for all other workers, in our state. We are frustrated, and as farmworkers the governor is our last resort." "We clarified for the governor,s aides one important point that we hope will help make the governor,s intervention possible," added Alfredo Garcia, one of the Coalition members that participated in the meeting. "We are not asking Governor Bush to mediate in talks with our employers, rather we are simply asking that he be the catalyst to help bring the two sides together, since we have no other mechanism available to us as farmworkers. We are certain that this will not set any sort of precedent that might be a problem for the governor in the future, as all other workers in the state have other means available to them by law to compel their employers to come to the table."

Late Saturday night, after analyzing the governor,s position in a day-long community meeting at their center in Immokalee, Coalition members announced that they will suspend their protest for the duration of the holiday season. "We believe that suspending our protest for the time being is in the best interests of the governor,s efforts for a resolution to this on-going conflict," said Jose Antonio Salas, a Coalition member. "In respect for the governor, and in recognition of the spirit of brotherhood, reconciliation, and good will of the holy season, we will temporarily suspend our protests. Our prayer for this holiday season is that God,s will may soften the growers, hearts and bring us together before the New Year, as partners in this great industry and not antagonists."

Coalition members affirm that they will resume their protests, however, if no concrete progress is forthcoming by the new year. The Coalition will continue to hold community meetings and events as the momentum of their campaign for dialogue continues to build.