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Crist first
By MICHAEL PELTIER
TALLAHASSEE
— Gov. Charlie Crist met with representatives of the Coalition of
Immokalee Workers on Wednesday, pledging to work with the farmworker
group and others to improve working condition in the fields.
Crist was the first Florida governor to do so despite efforts going back
more than a decade.
In a meeting that lasted more than a hour, a half dozen coalition
members met privately with Crist at his capitol office over a slate of
issues including wages, working condition and modern day slavery.
“I was deeply moved by what they had to say and we want to help them as
much as we possibly can,” Crist said after the prolonged meeting that
left subsequent appointments backed up in the governor’s waiting room.
Crist said he would issue a statement later Wednesday or today publicly
addressing the issues brought forward by the group, which has called on
growers to improve wages and working conditions for workers and crack
down on practices that have led to seven federal convictions for modern
day slavery in the past 10 years.
The grandson of a Cypriot who, at 14, emigrated alone to the United
States and got his first job shining shoes, the younger Crist said
Wednesday the meeting has raised concerns but would not elaborate
immediately on any specific course of action.
“I’m not a man driven by anger, much, but two things will: injustice and
arrogance,” Crist told reporters after the meeting.
“I detect from the briefings I’ve had and the meeting I just had that
there may be a bit of both at work here and that concerns me greatly. We
want to be a continuing partner to try to help with their plight.”
The group has been trying unsuccessfully to meet with a sitting Florida
governor since the late Lawton Chiles was holding office. Growers have
said the group does not speak for the majority of workers who harvest
tomatoes and other fresh fruits and vegetables from southern Florida
fields.
Former Gov. Jeb Bush repeatedly declined invitations to meet with the
group, saying he did want to get in the middle of what he considered a
labor/management issue.
In 2005, the group successfully convinced fast-food giant Taco Bell to
sign an agreement saying it would pay a penny a pound more for tomatoes
to help increase worker wages. Burger King, McDonald’s and Subway have
since climbed on board.
More recently, the group has turned its attention to modern day slavery,
assisting federal officials in the conviction of labor contractors who
through intimidation and violence held workers against their will.
Coalition member Gerardo Reyes said before the meeting he hoped the
governor would support current efforts to increase wages and his
influence to persuade growers to improve working and environmental
conditions workers face.
“We’d like the governor to get involved in eliminating the abuses, and
to work toward implement a solution that we forged together with the
major buyers of tomatoes,” Reyes said through an interpreter.
Afterward, other members said the meeting itself was a victory by
illustrating that farm workers have a seat at the table. The true test,
however, would come if Crist uses his influence to help conditions
improve.
“If it does happen that will be great,” said coalition member Greg Asbed.
“If it doesn’t we have more work to do.”
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