Newspapers / Elon University Student Newspaper / Nov. 16, 2000, edition 1 / Page 2
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Page 2 Nov. 16,2000 Students and faculty show support for Farm Labor Movement Elizabeth Sudduth The Pendulum Nearly 30 students and fac ulty gathered on Monday night in McMichaei 102 to show support for the current Farm Labor Movement taking place in Eastern North Caro lina. Elon College was host to three speakers who spoke about the current movement and boycott with Mt. Olive Pickles. Representatives from both the Farm Labor Organiz ing Committee [FLOC] and the National Farmworker Ministry [NFWM] shared with students the need for organizing migrant farm workers to defend their personal rights. “We are here to help empower farm workers,” said Mike Peredes, Outreach Coordinator for NFWM. “Our job is to reach out to people in churches and communities and edu cate them about what is taking place in on farms in Eastem North Caro lina.” Nearly 3,800 migrant work ers from Mexico come to North Carolina and are used as indentured servants to maintain and take care of fields during the harvest season of May to late Nov. According to Paredes, the workers are generally smuggled into the country by farm growers who pay a smuggling fee. The workers are then entrusted to the growers and serve them until the fee is paid. “Many of these Mexican work ers come to the U.S. to make money and better their lives in Mexico,” Peredes said. “Often times, however, they come and give up their dignity.” Many of the farm camps have converted chicken shacks used to house the workers. “They live in 10x11 size rooms with five to six other people,” Paredes said. “Many of the workers living conditions would never fit inspection.” The state of N.C. currently has nine inspectors reprimanding work ing conditions for the state. Only one inspector in N.C. speaks Spanish,” said Lee Bailey, Assistant Outreach Coordinator for NFWM. “In addi tion these nine inspectors are for all businesses through out the state, not just agriculture.” This past year Bailey worked with Wake County Health Department as a volunteer. Her job was initially to contact as many migrate workers as possible,thosewhowerehurtorneeded healthcare were taken to free clinics on Tuesdays and Thursdays. “Farming is one of the greatest health risks in the U.S.,” Bailey said.“The amount of work done by these workers with tobacco was the same equivalent as smoking about 100 cigarettes a day.” Farm workers suffered from exposure to pesticides and heat ex haustion in addition to back injuries due to the repetitive motion of pick ing the crops. Nick Wood a FLOC student representative from UNC provided students and faculty with a way to get involved. Wood discussed with stu dents the current boycott taking place between migrant workers organizers and the Mt. Olive Pickle Company. Wood urged students to join and take a stance with them. “I urge you to take a pledge and not purchase Mt. Olive products until the company sits with organiz ers to correct working standards,” Wood said. Mt. Olive Pickle Company was not available for comment; however, the company believes they are in no way responsible for what has taken place. The company feels as though farm growers are responsible. Senior, April Hewett along with Assistant Sociology Professor, Sandy Smith -Nonini first organized the two groups to come to campus. “Much of my interest started from a book I read for my Latin American and Latino Social Move ments class with Dr. Smith-Nonini,” Hewett said. “I then asked the orga nization of Students for Peace and Justice if I could bring our guests to their meeting.” Hewett along with other Elon students will take a trip on Friday to visit some of the farmer camps. For more information. Stu dents for Peace and Justice meet ev ery Monday at 8:30 in Moseley’s fireplace lounge. Postal rate Faith Gaskins The Pendulum The independent Postal Rate Committee announced Monday that the cost of mailing a letter in the United States will go up a penny, probably in January'. The commission was acting on a re quest from the Postal Service to raise the price in order to negate rising costs. Under this action, the cost of a first-class stamp will rise to 34 cents while the 22-cent cost of the second ounce of a first-class mail and the 20-cent postcard will stay the same. to increase The post office Board of Governors will decide when the new price will go into affect. The speculated date is Jan, 7. “I don’t think that this change is going to make much of a difference,” said sophomore Vanessa Kitchen.” However, I imagine it might make a lot of difference to a company that sends out thousands of letters.” The higher rate for a first- class stamp is projected to bring in an extra $1 billion in revenue. Since it takes so long to print the billions of stamps needed when the new rates take effect, the Postal Service akeady has interim stamps in the works. t » i! « 2 & C « m m y n s t v (K i SI a 1 in « t i WWW f> y / r f; The purpose of The Pendulum is to inform and entertain the Elon College community and provide a forum for ideas and opinions. Editor in Chief Assistant Photo Editor Lisa McChristian Christopher Brown Managing Editor Business Manager Tammy Tripp Chris Rash News Editor OfTice Manager Jessica Rivelli Joshua Aujley A.ssistant News Online Director Editor Alison Lacek Elizabeth Sudduth Opinions Editor Copy Editor Jennifer Guarino Joshua Davis Assistant Opinions Adviser Janna Anderson Editor Rady Large Reporters Focus Editor Erin Cunnigham Steve Dignan Susan Duppstadt A&E Editor Samiha Khanna Beth Edwards Faith Gaskins Sports Editor Jennifer Guarino Annie Reilly Travis Suber Teresa Bateman Assistant Sports Jennifer Shelton Editor Erica Stanley Tim McKay Mike Trainor Photo Editor Will Holiday Jennifer McCort Jason Chick Photographers Mark Alexander Cindy Beidel Becca Morrison Brian Viebranz Lauren Vilis Columnists Cameron Dejong Brian McDonald Lauren Melfa Brian Sylvester Teresa Bateman The Pendulum is published each Thursday of the academic year. The advertising and editorial copy deadline is 5 p.m. the Monday before publication. Our offices are located on the northwest comer, second floor of Moseley ■Center. Send mail to: The Pendulum, Campus Box 2850, Elon College, N.C. 27244, or e-mail to pendulum@elon.edu. Letters to the editor and guest columns are welcome and should be typed, double-spaced and signed with the author’s name, year in school and phone number for verification. These submissions are also accepted as Word documents on disk or by e-mail. The Pendulum reserves the right to edit obscene or potentially libelous material. Lengthy letters or columns may have to be trimmed to fit. All submissions become the property of The Pendulum and will not be returned. % Courtney Johnson represents France in the Model UN conference earlier in the week. Photo by: Adam Waterson/ The Pendulum
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