Migrations, labor and agriculture: which kind of ... · Migrations, labor and agriculture: which kind of resistances in the global agri-food? 4th International Seminar on «Migrations,

Migrations,laborandagriculture:whichkindofresistancesintheglobalagri-food?

4thInternationalSeminaron«Migrations,AgricultureandFoodSustainability:Dynamics,ChallengesandPerspectivesintheGlobalContext»,Consejo Superior deInvestigaciones Scientificas,Madrid,26-27January 2017

[email protected]

INCASIInternationalNetworkforComparativeAnalysisofSocialInequalities

MarieSkłodowska-CurieActions(MSCA)ResearchandInnovationStaffExchange(RISE)

Outlines

• Neoliberal corporateagri-food regime– What about labour?– Neo-regulation andcertificated schemes

• Resistances andalternatives– Decolonizing political economy– Understandingfarmworkeridentities– foodsovereigntyasaframeforalliance-buildingbetweenagrarian/peasantand(migrant)labormovements?

Neoliberal corporateregime

• growingdependencyandverticalintegrationwithinvaluechainsunderthecontrolofmonopolisticpowers

• Neoregulation atnationalandsupranationallevels

• processesofdispossetion andproletarization(Bonanno,Cavalcanti 2014;Friedmann2005;Harvey2009;McMichael2013)

(Iper-)Mobilities ofcapitalandlabour• continuous reconfiguration ofruralareasandcityghettos• super-flexibility ofplaces,regions andpersons• newformsoflaborexploitationandcasualization,laborflexibility,useofweaker

segmentsofthelaborforce(women,children,migrants),subcontracting• weak worker representation anddiminishedroleoftradeunions(Cavalcanti;

Bonanno,2014)• Ability oftransnationalcorporationstodiminishthepowerofagri-foodworkers

andtoeffectivelycontrolthemthroughcapitalmobility(Friedland,1994,2004;Heffernan andConstance,1994;Heffernan,2000;Hendrickson etal.,2008)

• “Controlsareaimedatavoidingriskandensuringtrust amongthepartiesinvolvedinglobalflows;...Labelsarecreatedandcertificationstandardsareestablishedtoexpressthelegitimacyofthesourcesandinstitutionsinvolved”(Cavalcanti 2015)

• quality food items toenhancecompetitivenessandcontrolofincreasinglyconcentratedmainstreammarkets bycorporateretailers (BuschandBain,2004;BurchandLawrence,2005,2007;LawrenceandBurch,2007;Bain,2010;BainandHatanaka,2010)

• Multiplicationoflabour:legalresidents,unauthorizedimmigrantsandguestworkers,asylumseekers;gender,ethnic,nationalidentities

commodity/valuechainanalysis• Commoditychain (system)è GlobalCommodityChainè GlobalValuechain– Welearnabouttheprocessofcapitalaccumulationataparticularpointintheevolutionoftheworld-system,andaboutthedistributionofthetotalsurplus-valuecreatedinaparticularchainbetweenitsvariouslinksorboxes(HopkinsandWallerstein)

• è stricteconomicdeterminationofinequality,lack ofattention toparticular,place-based,historical(gender,class,citizenship…)andculturalcontextsandinequalities(Thomas1985,Ortiz2002),“micropoliticsofdifferentiatedgroupsofworkers”(Wells1996)

dis/articulationsBairandWerner(2011):• reorientingattentionto“thelayeredhistoriesanduneven

geographiesofcapitalistexpansion,disinvestment,anddevaluation”inparticularlocales,andthe“place-makingandsubject-makingwhichmaketheirproductionpossible”

• attentiontothecultural,linguistic,andgenderednatureoftheagriculturalworkplace

• multipleformsofdifferencehavesustainedsystemsoflaborcontrol,atthesametimethattheyhaveproducedpossibilitiesforcollectiveactionandresistance– communityandfamilyties,networksofcooperation and

solidarity,informal economies

coloniality ofpower• coloniality ofpower (Quijano,2000)è capitalistworldsystemdeveloped

throughtheviolence ofcolonialismècodificationofraceandracializedhierarchy+political-economyofanewworldmarketstructuredoncontroloflaborandresources

• coloniality ofknowledge (epistemological colonization)+coloniality ofbeing(colonialistinheritanceanditsimpactonself,self-identificationandontology)è gender,raceandclassfunctionsaskeysiteforcoloniality’shegemonicholdonwhatitmeanstobehuman

• Coloniality ‘encompasses thetranshistoric expansionofcolonialdominationandtheperpetuationofitseffectsincontemporarytimes’(Moraña,Dussel,Jáuregui 2008)

• Coloniality focusesonthehistoricalandrenovatedroleofracializationinconstructinglaboringclassesinaglobalizingeconomy,andinjustifyingtheirworkconditionsè globalcoloniality (Grosfoguel,2002)

• AgriFood+immigration policiesasvectorsforcolonialityè politicaleconomiesoflaborandexploitationcontinue throughracializedhierarchiesofclass andgender

Certificated schemes• Organic,Fairtrade,third-partycertification programs (TPCPs)• theenrollmentoflarger-scaleproducersandbrandedtransnational

corporatebuyershasunderminedtheprinciplesofsustainabilityandsocialjustice

• Mainstreamingofalternatives(Friedmann)• negativeconsequences forsmallandmediumfarmersandwagelaborers

(Campbell;Bonanno andCavalcanti 2011;Gertel andSippel;Hatanaka etal.,2005;Bain,2010;Hatanaka,2010)– Inabilitytopayfortheserviceandexclusionfromaffluentmarketsand

economicmarginalization.– Growersforcedtosearchforstrategiestoreducecostsandconsequentlabor

exploitation– Temporarylabourandsubcontracting

(aboutfairtradeandorg.agr.seeBesky 2014;Brown2013;Getz etal.2008;Luetchford,2008;Raynolds 2009)

ALLIANCESè C+C=change«Ithinkthatweneedtocreatealliances betweenallthefoodmovements.Weallwantahealthyfoodsupplyandeveryoneinthechaintobetreatedwithdignity—fromtheproductionworkertotheconsumer.Butwearefacingamonster:thecorporateworld.Theyareonlyinterestedinmoneyandprofits.Wehavetobeclear,relentless,anddeterminedtodowhatittakesinourcommunitiestocreatechangewherewewantit.Eventuallythesecorporations,ifwehitthemwhereithurts—ifwegofortheirprofits—willbeforcedtochangethewaytheydobusiness.Maybewecan’tmakeWalmartdisappear,butwecanchangethewaytheydobusiness.Thepowerisinourhands.Thefirstthingwemusttodoisdevelopconsciousnessandcommitmenttocreatechange».(LucasBenítez oftheCoalitionofImmokaleeWorkers)

CoalitionofImmokaleeWorkers- organizedtomatopickersinFlorida,alliedwithconsumers,

pressuringcorporatebuyerstosign“fairfoodagreements”- TheFairFoodProgramfunctionsasacovenantbetweentheCIW

andtheFloridaTomatoGrowers.Itaimsatbetterwages,betterworkingconditions,andhigherstandardsthroughstrengthenedpartnershipsbetweenworkers,growers,andbuyers(i.e.TacoBell,McDonald’s,andWalmart…)

- TheFairFoodProgramisafarmworkerandconsumer-driveninitiativeconsistingofawageincreasesupportedbyapricepremium(“pennyperpound”)paidbycorporatepurchasersofFloridatomatoes,andahuman-rights-basedCodeofConduct,applicablethroughouttheFloridatomatoindustry.

- ThepricepremiumandtheCodeofConduct,whichweredevelopedbytomatoworkers,growers,andcorporatebuyersinagroundbreakingcollaboration,formthefoundationforanewmodelofsocialaccountability(cit.CIW).

Organized boycott• UnitedFarmWorkers’Union(UFW)topursuethegoalsofimproving

wagesandworkingconditionsduringthe1960sand1970s.• communityandworkplaceorganizing,politicaladvocacy,and

developmentofsupportamongmiddle-classurban(students)consumers

• boycottoftablegrapes,collapseofgrapesales,unionrecognition(grapesasfungible≠lettuce)èprofarmworker hegemony (Friedland2008)

• “bothanexpressionofworking-classsolidarityandupperandmiddle-classcharity”

• lackofinternaldemocracyandafailuretodeveloprank-and-fileleadership,union’sfailuretoacknowledgeandincorporateworkers’ownformsofself-organizationthroughmigrantnetworks power(Mooneyand Majka 1995;Frank2003;Wells,Villarejo 2004)

SocialMovementUnionism• SocialMovementUnionism:horizontalorganization,building

ofbroadsocialcoalitions,recruitmentofvulnerablesubjects,non-professionalgrassrootsactivism,directactionandananti-bureaucraticapproach(Caruso2016)

• SOCvsBio SolPortocarrero (certifiedbyLeading OrganicAlliance/GlobalGAP/GRASP)o collaborationwithantiracistmovements,

NGOs,foreigntradeunionsandjournalistsDemonstrationsinSwisso Bio SolPortocarrero Intervention byBio

Suisse,Swiss CoopandCampinia VerdeEcosolè Reinstatementoftheworkers,wagepayment,stabilizationofseasonalworkers,openingofaSOCbranchwithinthecompany

• EuropeanCoalitionofViaCampesina

Popular Production• UTT,UniondeTrabajadores delaTierra (BuenosAires,LaPlata)

– around 2-3000familiesofsmallfarmers andfarmworkers inperiurbanhorticulture• Especially Bolivians (Benencia 1997,2012;Benencia,Quaranta2006;Pizarro2010,2016):peonèmedieroèarrendatarioèproprietario (escalera boliviana)• movimiento trabajadores desocupados urbanos (‘90-2003)

– MemberoftheConfederacióndeTrabajadoresdelaEconomíaPopular(CTEP)– Deliveryofbagsinpopularneighbourhoods too,ferias,faircollectiveprice

(preciocolectivojusto),tomatobonus(buyinginadvancefreezingtheprice)– Agroecologicalconversion(incoll.withSegretariadeAgriculturafamiliar,INTA)– Unionization– Collectivemobilization(Verdurazo)forpoliciessupportingproductionand

commercialization,accesstotheland(reformaagraria),implementationoftheFamilyAgricultueLaw,foodsoveregnity

FoodSovereigntyasDecolonizing• platformforstruggleagainstbothneo-liberalpoliciesandglobal

governanceandasthebasisforpoliticalactionandnegotiationswithnationalandtransnationalInstitutionsinthecontextofneoliberalcorporatefoodregime(McMichael,2013).

• In2007theDeclarationofNyéléni stateditintermsoftherightofpeoplestohealthyandculturallyappropriate,ecologicallysoundandsustainablemethods,andtheirrighttodefinetheirownfoodandagriculturesystems,transparenttradetoguaranteeincomesaswellastherightsofconsumerstocontroltheirfoodandnutrition(Desmarais,2007;VíaCampesina,2007;Patel,2009;Wittmanetal.,2010).

• callfortheglobalindustrialfoodsystemtobereplacedbyrespectandguaranteeofregionaldiversityanddemocraticparticipationinthecontroloffood,resourcesandlocalagriculturalsystems(ColomboandOnorati)

• FSisthe‘continuationofanti-colonialstrugglesinostensiblepost-colonialcontexts’(GreyandPatel2015)

• Decolonizingmeans‘deconstructingwhatwe’vebeendomesticatedtothink’…food,health,economy,publicpolicy,livelihood,consciousness,community(Bradley, Herrera2015;Graddy-Lovelace 2017)

USFood Sovereignty Alliance

• TheUSFSAhasformedanimmigrationandtradeteamtobeginarticulatingthispieceoffoodsovereignty

• “ImmigrationPolicyPrinciplesforFoodSovereignty”

(Brent,Schiavoni,Alonso-Fradejas 2015)

ImmigrationPolicyPrinciplesforFood Sovereignty/USFSA

• TheUSFoodSovereigntyAlliance(USFSA)standsfortherightsofallpeople,includingundocumentedimmigrantworkersandtheirfamiliesintheU.S.Farmworkers,foodprocessingworkers,fooddistributionworkers,restaurantworkersandotherretailfoodworkersarealldirectlyharmedbythemarginalizationandexploitationofallundocumentedimmigrantsincludingthevulnerabilityofwomentoeconomic,physical,andsexualabuse.

• Foodsovereigntyrequiresdignityandforallworkersinthefoodsystem;weaffirmthatthisincludesaprocessoflegalizationwithdignitythatguaranteesallrightsforallpeople…

• theprinciplesoffoodsovereigntywouldbeservedbypoliciesthathonorthehumanityofallworkers,includingtheunconditionalrighttomigrateasenshrinedintheInternationalDeclarationofHumanRights,therighttoorganize,andtherighttodefendandimplementeconomicpoliciesthatallowforpeopletoprosperandstayintheirhomecommunities,includingademocraticandsovereigncontroloflocalagriculturalandfoodmarketsandlocalagricultural policies.

USFSAPrinciples forImm.Reform1. ENDBORDERMILITARIZATION2. SEPARATEENFORCEMENTOFFEDERALIMMIGRATIONLAWFROMLOCAL

LAW3. ENDTEMPORARYorGUESTWORKERPROGRAMS.4. ENDMANDATORYE-VERIFYPROGRAMS.5. REPEALUNJUSTTRADEAGREEMENTS.6. PROVIDEAFAIRPATHWAYTOLEGALIZATIONAND/ORCITIZENSHIP:7. KEEPFAMILIESTOGETHER8. ENDARBITRARYDETENTION9. INSTATEAMORATORIUMONDEPORTATIONSandallowright-to-return

foralldeportedoverthelast4years.10. PROVIDESANCTUARYforrefugeesandvictimsofcrime,domesticabuse,

andsexualassault.11. REMAINACCOUNTABLEANDTRANSPARENT.12GUARANTEETHE

FUNDAMENTALRIGHTSFORALL.Intheworkplaceandbeyond.

Nyéléni EuropeForumforFoodSovereignty

• Krems,Austria(in2011):callforradicalchangeintheEU’sCommonAgriculturalPolicythroughtheadoptionoffoodsovereigntyprinciples(NEMandECVC,2012).

• Cluj-Napoca,Romania,in2016:demandstrategiesthatensuretheequitablerightsoffarmworkers(migrantworkers,inparticular),publicpoliciesthatputnaturalresourcesinthehandsoflocalpeople,fooddistributionsystemsthatfocusprimarilyonlocal,sustainablefood,andagroecologyasthefundamentalapproachtoagriculture(FIAN,2016)

Protests andmobilizations inItaly• 2010,riotsinRosarno,afterattackstoAfricans• 2011,strikeinCastelVoltunoforfairerwages• 2013,strikeinNardòforfairerwagesandvs.caporalato• 2014,protestsinfrontofCoopstores(CampagneinLotta)• 2015,protestsinFoggiafordocumentsandcontracts• 2016,strikeinLatinaforfairerworkconditionsandwages

(withFLAI-CGIL)• 2016,protestsinPotenza,andVenosaforhousing,

transports,documentsandcontracts(withUSB)• 2016,protestinRosarnoafteramigrantshotdeadby

police• 2016,strikeandblocksoftruckstransportingtomatoesto

cannariesinFoggia,fordocuments,contractsandfairerwages(withCampagneinlotta,SìCobas)

è sectoralprotestsandmobilizations

• Growersè increase inwages /dismissals /subtitution ofnationalteamswithmixed teams(Italians andothers)orwithother nationalgroups,orirregular withregulalar workers,orno-contracted withcontracted workers,no-EUwithEUworkers

• Institutionsè “RosarnoLaw”109/2012(receptionDirective2009/52/CEAsesoríaytutelajurídicaamigrantes)

§ minimumnormsonsanctionsandapplicablemeasurestotheemployersofthirdcountriesnationalsinirregularsituation+Penalcrime

è 2016Lawagainstblacklabourandlabourexploitationinagriculture§ Penalcrimeforfirmsusingillegalintermediation+Compensationforvictims+

Planformigrantworkers'reception+«Networkofqualityfarmwork»+Transportstowork

• Traditional Unions/tomatoindustry organizations/ApuliaRegionalGovernment/Retailersè Fairlabel program EquaPulia+seasonalfarmworkers’receptionplan +regularcontractsè lowpartecipation bygrowers andfarmworkers

answers

Alternativeagri-food networks

– Partecipativecertification schemes/shortfood chains• Solidarity Purchase Groups

– socialjusticeprojectstocombatworkexploitationinintensivefruitandvegetableproduction,tosupportmigrantworkersmobilizationsandinvolvetheminnewethicalandecologicalformsofproduction/consumption• Sos Rosarno,SfruttaZero,FunkyTomato,Contadinazioni

– Italian CoordinationofPeasantAgricultureandFarmWorkers forFoodSovereignty• AlliancewithUnione Sindacale diBase(USB)tosupportthejointstruggleofpeasants,farmlabourersandotherworkersintheagri-foodsystemèunionizationontheonehand,workers’accesstoqualityfoodontheotherhand

Conclusions• Differentiatedresistances,consideringplaces,identitiesandsocial/culturalconditions

• Agri-foodAlternativesèsociallyembeddedspacesofproduction,consumption,reproduction

• FSCoalitions– Peasant/Workers/Migrants/Agroecologicalmov/consumers

– forradicalpoliticalagr.reforms/humanrights– Raisingcollectiveconsciousness