FLOC – making sure agricultural migrant workers in Ohio have health services

20-08-2012

Many migrant workers find it impossible to get healthcare as they travel around the US doing farm work. They often have no health insurance, are afraid of being reported to immigration and have language constraints. Yet long hours in the fields, exposure to heat and pesticides, lack of drinking water mean their health is at risk.
According to the Ohio Latino Affairs Commission, about 14,000 migrant farm workers travel to Ohio every summer to pick crops.
The IUF-affiliated Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) decided 17 years ago that if the workers couldn’t go to medical services than the medical services had to go to them. With the Campaign for Migrant Workers they organized clinics to go to the fields. Medical professionals were asked to volunteer services and hospitals to donate supplies. Today there are 6 mobile clinics
Read more here [1] or watch the TV report here [2].

The International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF) is an international federation of trade unions representing workers employed in agriculture and plantations; the preparation and manufacture of food and beverages; hotels, restaurants and catering services; all stages of tobacco processing. The IUF is composed of 394 affiliated organizations in 126 countries representing a combined membership of around 2,6 million.

How to contact the IUF:
Email: [email protected]
Post: Rampe du Pont-Rouge, 8, CH-1213, Petit-Lancy (Switzerland)
Phone: + 41 22 793 22 33
Fax: + 41 22 793 22 38

Links:
[1] http://www.toledoblade.com/Medical/2012/08/13/Migrant-workers-line-up-for-care-at-mobile-clinic.html
[2] http://www.13abc.com/story/19298044/getting-much-need-medical-help-to-migrant-workers?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=7621508#.UC2HjV7isOE.facebook