“The Help” helping to organize San Antonio

by Mayra Moreno kens5.com Posted on February 8, 2012 at 10:22 PM San Antonio – A popular movie is influencing a group of San Antonio maids to speak up about their plight. Those housekeepers are meeting in hopes of forming a labor union. It’s the movie, “The Help” and some of the women say they can relate to it in way or another. In a small room, a group of women watched the popular movie, “The Help”. “The movie is giving us an opportunity to speak about the plight of domestic workers,” said Irasema Cavazos, domestic worker. These maids say they’re today’s help with the same troubles as yesterday. “There are no protection for us that are doing domestic work,” said Cavazos. Some say they’ve had a traumatic experience at work but have been too afraid to speak up. “They find that if they speak up they lose their jobs and they have families so it is hard,” said Cavazos. Alicia Perez is a maid and so was her mom. She died after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. Perez said her mom was forced to work until her last day or risk not getting paid. Perez said not a day goes by that she doesn’t think about her mom. Which is why she is hoping to reach out to others. “These people are still being worked like with no dignity so that’s what they’re trying to change,” said Cavazos. And by showing the movie, they hope to show these women that they can unite to help each other. The group is working to gather enough petitions to send off to the white house. If you would like to get in touch with “Trabajadoras de Lugar en Accion” you can reach them at 210-310-6071. http://www.kens5.com/news/The-Help-helping-to-organize-San-Antonio–138985884.html