By Anna Cearley, Staff Writer San Diego Union-Tribune December 27, 2007
Carmen Valadez made a name for herself as a social activist, at one time assisting factory workers with labor-related disputes.
When the U.S.-based ACORN social justice organization opened a Tijuana office to work with some of the city's poorer communities, Valadez and five local women with similar backgrounds seemed to be a perfect fit to work there.
Instead, most of them ended up challenging the Mexican branch of ACORN for falling behind in salary payments and contributions to the state health insurance system. None of the original six team members is with the organization anymore.
ACORN officials say there was no deliberate attempt to shortchange the women. Ercilia Sahores, Latin American director for ACORN, said the lapse in medical coverage was because of a delay by the Tijuana ACORN office in notifying the post office of a change of address.
Sahores said the organization makes every effort to pay employees on time, but it is a nonprofit with limited funds. In some cases, she said, the women did not perform at the expected level.
"They weren't providing the services required of them," Sahores said. "There were certain work hours and goals, and, unfortunately, this didn't take place, and it's costly to keep workers who aren't doing their jobs."
The women, most of whom started in 2005 with salaries of about $900 a month, said they worked hard and achieved results.
Two of the former employees who said they were forced to leave said ACORN Mexico failed to provide a severance payment equal to three months pay, as required by Mexican law when an employee is let go without cause. A state labor commission ruled in favor of the women, though they say ACORN Mexico hasn't paid them.
Valadez's case is pending. As part of her claim, she is trying to get ACORN Mexico to pay the $4,400 bill she received after she was hospitalized for a diabetes-related problem during the time ACORN let its medical coverage lapse.
Two other former employees' cases, which involve pay issues, were eventually resolved through an agreement, Valadez said. It's unclear whether the sixth employee had a labor issue with ACORN Mexico.
David Sepulveda, who represents ACORN Mexico, said the group is trying to resolve the pending cases but the organization doesn't have enough money to pay the women.
He said the group started as a branch of U.S. ACORN, but it's now legally independent. He said this limits the ability of the women to pursue action outside of Mexico.
The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN, which was started during the 1970s, bills itself on its Web site as "the nation's largest community organization of low-and moderate-income families, working together for social justice and stronger communities." However, the nonprofit has been criticized by some former employees in the United States for what they described as problems with delayed paychecks and other labor-related issues.
In 2004, ACORN started expanding its work to Peru, Argentina, the Dominican Republic and Canada. Jill Sears, ACORN's international development coordinator, said she wasn't familiar with the Tijuana case but believes ACORN operates abroad in a professional way.
Valadez and two other former workers interviewed for this story said their jobs included getting residents to contribute $1 per month to support ACORN. In return, they worked with residents to pressure the government for more streetlights, fencing and community centers.
Valadez said the idea was to build a grass-roots association unadulterated by the involvement of political parties that undertake similar projects in hopes of receiving votes.
The women said they were eager to be part of the new project and had established nine community committees despite heavy skepticism from residents.
Raquel Herrera, 39, said the problems started in January 2006 when she went to the doctor for treatment of what turned out to be a throat infection. She was told she would have to pay out of pocket because ACORN Mexico hadn't kept its contributions to the state health system up to date.
Several of the women who were later let go said they were told that the organization was running out of money, but Valadez said that doesn't release ACORN Mexico from legal obligations to compensate workers.
Latin American director Sahores, who is based in Argentina, said the Tijuana situation was unusual. The original staff, including the local director, is being replaced and a new group of organizers is attempting to continue the work, she said.
"This has been a very unfortunate case for us," she said.
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