Activists recognized by the Monterey Ccounty, 50 years since major farmworker victory
jose.romo
SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) — Monterey County is recognizing community activists and their families for their hard work in banning the short-handle hoe among farmworkers. Many of those activists had the opportunity to stand alongside supervisors and the legendary norteño band, Los Tigres del Norte.
Guests ranging from Dolores Huerta, Luis Váldez, and Los Tigres del Norte joined together to recognize fifty years since the prohibition of a farming tool known as “el cortito.”
Maurice “Mo” Jordaine, former CRLA attorney & retired superior court judge, says, “a farmer who told me that he had a bad back as a result of using the short hoe. I went to the law library at Stanford and couldn’t find any law, and finally found a regulation that said no unsafe hand tools shall be used.”
“Mo” Jordaine, along with Marty Glick, members of California Rural Assistance, led the efforts. “We had two hearings, we went with the industrial safety committee, we submitted the case, and they ruled that it wasn’t unsafe because unsafe had to be a long-term injury. couldn’t be like immediate,” said Glick, former Salinas CRLA director.
The legal process took 5 years, prompting similar responses from other states to ban the use of the short hoe during the weeding season. Grace Acia, daughter of activist Hector de la Rosa, recalls the teachings he left behind. “Always ask why so that we can understand the process and then make positive changes,” Grace said. She added, “if we don’t help, then who else will? And I take that with me always.”
She says her father was always available to help the farm working community, meeting with them at home even after hours. She adds that it was his mission, one that many others continue to this day.
Luis Váldez, playwright and founding artistic director for Teatro Campesino, says the battle continues. “The struggle has always been to figure out how the balance works out, and that requires activism. That requires a kind of work that we have seen from our leaders.”
Legendary norteño band – Los Tigres del Norte – receiving the symbolic keys to the county for the work they have done for the migrant community. The county announcing the official Tigres del Norte day on June 10.