TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - The Farm Labor Organizing Committee, FLOC, turns fifty years old this year.
Saturday in Toledo FLOC held a constitutional convention with a theme of 'constant struggle.'
Members marched the streets of Downtown Toledo denouncing the re-emergence of white supremacists and neo-Nazi groups,
But it also was an opportunity to protest Trump Administration policies toward immigration and the termination of DACA.
"Here we are, we won't go away. If they take us, we're going back," shouted marchers.
FLOC was formed by Baldemar Velasquez.
At times, members have been met with violence.
But in the last half century, 700 farms have been unionized covering 50,000 workers.
Mr. Velasquez says FLOC's next target is a proposed boycott of Reynolds American VUSE e-cigarette products, claiming abuses are taking place on their contract farms.
"I'm not sure what it says about FLOC's influence but it shows we don't give up. We start a program, we continue it until something happens," said Mr. Velasquez.
At the convention, delegates discussed resolutions to defend immigr ants and farmworkers' rights.
Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur discussed the Trump Administration's plans to re-negotiate NAFTA.
She says it needs a section dealing with agriculture labor.
"To make sure their rights are protected, employers have a steady workforce that's reliable and we create a tri-party labor secretariat between the United States, Mexico and Canada," said Rep. Kaptur.
Close to 300 delegates attended the convention.
