Farm workers march to celebrate Chavez legacy, stop Trump and push for overtime pay
Giant ‘Chavez Si! Trump No!’ banner leads the march
Oxnard, Calif.—Ventura County farm workers will march on Sunday, April 10 to mark Cesar Chavez’s birthday, reject Donald Trump and other anti-immigrant presidential candidates, and support state legislation ending their exclusion from overtime pay after eight hours a day.
The United Farm Workers, UFW members and supporters took to the streets in three marches on Sunday, April 3 in the Central, Coastal and Sonoma valleys to deliver a resounding “No!” to Trump and remind consumers that #WeFeedYou. Farm workers will continue the momentum in Oxnard to send the message that Trump’s anti-immigrant rants are not welcomed. The marches are held annually to honor the March 31 birthday of the UFW founder, now celebrated as an official holiday in California and other states. This year marchers will also carry large “Chavez Si! Trump No!” banners and remind the public who produces the food on their dinner tables.
Farm workers, many undocumented, work long hours for meager pay to feed the nation and much of the world. Despite their hard work and sacrifice, they are excluded from overtime pay after eight hours of work. During peak season, farm workers often labor 10 hours a day without overtime pay. AB 2757, by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez, would gradually phase in standards for farm worker overtime, lowering the current 10-hour day level to the standard eight-hours. AB 2757 woud provide farm workers with the same pay other workers in the United States have received since the 1930s.
Who: Ventura County farm workers carrying big “Chavez Si! Trump No!” banner.
What: UFW-sponsored march honoring Cesar Chavez and opposing Donald Trump.
When: 10 a.m., Sunday, April 10, 2016.
Where: Cesar Chavez Elementary School, 301 No. Marquita St., Oxnard 93030.