President Obama Gets Early Endorsement From United Farm Workers [View all]

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Thursday, Jan. 12, at 11 a.m.:



United Farm Workers offers early endorsement of President Obama with L.A. rally - Event kicks off series of union planned events across the country backing Obama's re-election

LOS ANGELES, CA - President Barack Obama's re-election campaign receives an early endorsement from the United Farm Workers of America, the nation's largest and oldest farm workers union, during an 11 a.m. rally on Thursday, Jan. 12, at the UFW's Los Angeles offices, 4545 E. Cesar Chavez Ave. in East L.A. The rally kicks off a series of union-sponsored events and rallies throughout the nation supporting the President.

"We are proud to endorse President Obama in this historic year during which the UFW celebrates its 50th anniversary," said UFW President Arturo Rodriguez. "President Obama stands with farm workers and immigrants. His administration is fighting against mean-spirited partisan legislation and gratuitous attacks by Republican politicians against hard-working, tax-paying immigrants who are among the most vulnerable people in our society."

Under U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, the administration reversed former President George W. Bush's last-minute changes to the nation's agricultural guest worker program that would have reduced wages and protections for both foreign and domestic farm workers.

The Obama administration also moved promptly to block SB 1070, the Arizona's anti-immigrant law that discriminates against Latinos and encourages racial profiling, and the administration is challenging similar legislation in Alabama and Georgia. Just last week, President Obama announced changes to federal immigration rules that would let relatives of U.S. citizens remain with their families while they work to adjust their immigration status.

"The theme of the 2008 Obama campaign reflected Cesar Chavez's famous cry of 'Si Se Puede!'," Rodriguez said. "In 2012, we can proudly examine our progress and say, 'Yes we can' ensure that the rights, wages, benefits and living conditions of the women and men who put food on our tables are enhanced and not diminished.

"We have taken many important steps forward over the last four years. We need President Obama leading the nation for the next four."

read: http://www.ufw.org/_board.php?mode=view&b_code=news_press&b_no=11670&page=1&field=&key=&n=803

Remarks by Arturo S. Rodriguez, President
United Farm Workers of America
Endorsing President Obama’s Reelection
January 12, 2012—East Los Angeles, Calif.

Today, the United Farm Workers of America issues an early endorsement of Barrack Obama's re-election campaign and kicks off a series of rallies and events for the President across seven states in the next 10 days.

The UFW is organizing events in California’s Central Valley, Central Coast and North State Wine Country. We are also organizing rallies or joining with supporters and sister farm worker groups in Oregon and Washington state; and in the key swing states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Florida.

We are proud to endorse President Obama in this historic year during which the UFW celebrates its 50th anniversary. We are proud to stand with President Obama because he has stood with farm workers and immigrants over the last three years.

His administration is fighting against mean-spirited partisan legislation and gratuitous, intolerant attacks by Republican politicians against hard-working, tax-paying immigrants who are among the most vulnerable people in our society.

As soon as President Obama took office, he reminded us that elections do matter. Under Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, the administration reversed George W. Bush's last-minute changes to the nation's agricultural guest worker program that would have reduced wages and protections for both foreign and domestic farm workers. Among the labor protections President Obama restored is the principle that U.S. farm workers be hired before foreign labor, a protection weakened under President Bush.

Congress still must remedy the nation's need for a legal and stable work force by enacting the historic, bipartisan AgJobs bill that President Obama supports. Negotiated by the UFW and the nation’s growers, AgJobs would let undocumented farm workers stay in this country by continuing to work in agriculture.

The Obama administration also moved promptly to block SB 1070, Arizona's anti-immigrant law that discriminates against Latinos and encourages racial profiling. The administration is challenging similar laws in Alabama and Georgia. The Obama Justice Department recently moved against Phoenix’s anti-immigrant sheriff, Joe Arpaio, over his discriminatory policing targeting Latinos.

Just last week, President Obama announced changes to federal immigration rules that would let relatives of U.S. citizens remain with their families while they work to adjust their immigration status.

Never before in our nation’s history have we seen Latinos throughout the country being scapegoated and vilified as we have witnessed in the last few years. Republican presidential candidates are outdoing themselves to demonstrate ignorance and intolerance—or they are cynically pandering to voters who embrace these un-American traits.

Those repugnant politics stand in sharp contrast to President Obama’s leadership.

The theme of the President’s 2008 campaign borrowed from the words of Cesar Chavez’s 1972 fast in Arizona, “Si Se Puede!”—or “Yes We Can!”

In 2012, we can examine our progress and say with certainty, “Yes we can” ensure that the rights, wages, benefits and living conditions of the women and men who put food on our tables are enhanced, and not diminished.

We have taken many important steps forward during the last three years of the President’s first term. We need President Obama leading the nation for the next four years of his second term.

read: http://www.ufw.org/_board.php?mode=view&b_code=news_press&b_no=11670&page=1&field=&key=&n=803