Striking agricultural day laborers in Mexico's San Quintin Valley in the northwestern Mexican state of Baja California have won a large part of their demands following a bitterly fought seven week strike. In negotiations with federal and state government officials, the farm workers won their main demand, for a pay hike, with which their wages will be increased from the current US$7 for a 15 hour workday to US$13 for an eight-hour day. Senator Angelica de la Peña, head of the Senate Human Rights Commission, announced that the 20 workers arrested by police last Saturday would be released and not charged with any crime. The workers will also be allowed to form a union and will be enrolled in the national health and social security system. The slave-like conditions of the agricultural workers coupled with police repression, sparked solidarity actions in both Mexico and the United States. Clayton Conn reports from Mexico City. teleSUR
