Latin American Workers Project
Oscar Paredes, founder
latinamericanworkers.tripod.com
Oscar Paredes initiated the Latin American Workers Project (The Project) in 1997 to organize low-wage immigrant workers for better wages, working conditions and civil rights. The Project’s main goal is to empower and develop member leaders who collectively address the problems and fears immigrant workers face in the workplace due to abuse and exploitation. The Project responds to the needs of the Latino/a workers to get organized and improve living and working conditions. It reaches out to the working class community of Brooklyn by making presentations at local churches and community organizations.
Members participate in challenging institutional conditions of abuse and exploitation and articulate and develop individual plans and strategies through several committees: construction, factory, youth, women, transportation, communications and education. Through the committees, members organize campaigns for better working conditions, protests and pickets at the work place and civil litigation. The Project’s Education committee also offers classes and workshops that teach political education, English as a Second language and literacy. Through community-based organizing that values and utilizes collective action and creative, cultural expression, and though coalitions with other worker and immigrant organizations, The Project is developing a new labor movement that is a grassroots alternative to traditional union organizing.