Laborfest: Mexico, NAFTA & Labor

The Lessons of NAFTA for Workers and Farmers
Premiere screening of “Corrientes de la Frontera” (16:40) 2015 by Jamie Chavez
The recent mass struggle and strike of agricultural workers in Baja is an expression of the growing working class movement in Mexico. There is growing anger about the economic attacks of the “free trade” agreements and their social and economic costs.
This forum will examine the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Central American Fair Trade Agreement (CAFTA) for workers in the Americas. The film examines the cost of these treaties on workers, farmers and indigenous people. It also looks at how the destruction of the ejidos by NAFTA pushed farmers off their lands and forced them into the immigration pipeline. The forced destruction of the economy pushed by US multinationals had the direct result of privatization and destruction of jobs and livings in Mexico. Mexico is now forced to import corn in which it was self-sufficient, and this migration has been used by US politicians to spend billions militarizing the borders, bringing racism and mass repression. These anti-labor trade policies are proudly supported by Democrats and Republicans together.

Jaime Chavez will introduce his film, lead the discussion, and also present some poetry. Al Rojas will make a report on agricultural workers in the US and Mexico and struggles in the Mexican labor movement.
See also: http://www.laborfest.net/2015/2015schedule.htm