LUPE honors International Workers' Day

ALAMO, Texas (ValleyCentral) — La Union del Pueblo Entero, LUPE, hosted a "Day of Action" to advocate for the rights of worker and migrants on Wednesday morning.

The attendees made posters advocating against some of the biggest issues they believe are affecting the community while also enjoying several presentations, snacks and refreshments.

Worker exploitation was one of the main concerns discussed.

Maria Antonia Lopez is a member of LUPE and described how little things have changed since her family emigrated when she was only 6.

“More or less is the same thing we used to," Lopez said. "When we were small, we would go up north, also, and we'll be humiliated from some people.”

Lopez says her family moved throughout Florida, Michigan, and Illinois to find work. By age 10, she says she became the family translator to advocate for her parents.

Still, she remembers how some employers would cheat them.

“I was about 11 or 12 years old that I started crying because I mean, to me, it felt bad when we had worked so hard to clean up huge field, and then to the owner say no, we're not going to pay you because you finished your work in so little time," Lopez said.

LUPE director of community organizing, Joaquin Garcia, says many employers bring foreign workers with promises of good pay through the visa system. Once they arrive and do their work, they are not paid and left in debt.

He says some in Texas do not even get paid minimum wage, which has been $7.25 an hour since 2009.

“We know it happens a lot to in different sectors, you know, restaurants, agricultural sectors, construction sites, you're looking at, we do get a lot of cases of people that are; for example, or not pay their wages, they are promised that they do a job, they're going to be paid a certain amount of money," Garcia said.

Garcia says this happens nationwide and even in the Valley. LUPE organizers say that laws like SB4 only hamper working conditions for migrants.

The law is still being held in the Fifth Circuit of Appeals Court. Garcia says the organization is getting ready for any changes and other copycat laws.