Lorenzo Torrez

Lorenzo Torrez was the long time organizer of the Arizona Communist Party USA

Mineworker

Torrez toiled for 23 years in a zinc mine in Hanover, New Mexico, expecting to retire with a pension from the New Jersey Zinc Company. At the height of his career he earned $3.50 an hour, excluding overtime-the highest salary level in the plant. And yet, more times than he cares to count, he has been told that he is not entitled to a pension because he had not reached age 45 when his plant closed.

The shutdown came in 1969, after New Jersey Zinc became part of Gulf + Western Corporation. G+W sold the plant to another mining company, and massive layoffs followed, Torrez recalls. About 180 workers lost their jobs. Assets and liabilities of the New Jersey Zinc pension plan remained with G+W, which ultimately was acquired by Paramount Communications. Later, Viacom acquired Paramount. Pension eligibility was dictated by the old New Jersey Zinc plan, however.

So Torrez, at 42, found himself jobless, with a family to help support and no retirement benefit in sight. Other mines refused to hire him, which he says was because of his strong ties to the labor movement. An active union member, he had chaired the Hanover mine's grievance committee for a decade. In fact, Torrez says he first learned to make do with very little during an epic 15-month strike in the 1950s-the subject of the movie Salt of the Earth-when the Mine and Mill Workers gave him $12.50 a week to feed his family.

Full time communist

Torrez finally found steady work with the Communist Party USA. He stayed with the party over 20 years, until he reached 65, chairing the Party's a national commission for Mexican-American Equality.

Progressive salute

In May 1992, the Communist Party USA newspaper, Peoples Weekly World published a May Day supplement. This included a signed greeting from "Southern Arizona's progressive community", most of who were known Communist Party USA members.

One of the signatories was Lorenzo Torrez..

Communist Party Labor Day call

The Communist Party USA paper People's Weekly World issued a statement to mark Labor Day 1995, entitled "We honor the dead and fight like hell for the living."

Of the more than 100 endorsers listed, almost all were identified members of the Communist Party USA.

Lorenzo Torrez, SOAR Tuscon, was on the list.

Endorsed Communist Party Call

On March 30 2002 the Communist Party USA paper People’s Weekly World called for a national holiday in honor of late Farm Workers Union leader Cesar Chavez. The article was followed by a long list of endorsers including Lorenzo Torrez. Almost all endorsers were confirmed members of the Communist Party USA.

Arizona "progressive" community

On May 1 2009, this statement appeared in the Communist Party USA paper Peoples World:

Arizona’s progressive community extends May Day and Cinco de Mayo greetings to all our friends across the country. We commit ourselves to join the struggle for jobs, equality, national health care, a fair immigration policy, and for peace and justice in the Middle East. Let’s make this planet a good place to live for all its inhabitants.

Arizona Peace Council, AZ4NORML, Campaign for Labor Rights, The Einstein Academy, Casa Maria/Catholic Worker East Valley Club Communist Party USA, Law Office of Payson & Gattone, The Latino Doctrine (TV show) Revolutionary Grounds Books and Coffee, Salt of the Earth Labor College Tucson Club CPUSA , Tucson Peace Action Coalition

Clyde Appleton, Mary Elinor Adams, Rolande Baker, Anne Brenner, Joe Bernick and Cat Stelman, Nancy Bissell, Jack Blawis, Don Buchanan, Richard Boren, Susan Clark, Rebeca Cartes, Eugenia Chilton,Jack DeWeese, Howard Druan, & DD Sande,Gregory Feesl, Ray Figueroa, Brian Flagg, Michael Flower, Sean Fowlkes, Nancy Gallen, Maggie Gerring, Michael Gray, Nancy Graham, James Hannley, Beverly Halkias, Jeff Imig, Mansur Johnson, James Jordan & Raquel Mogollon, Frank Jents, Marilyn Kramer, John Kromko, Jim Kincaid, Brandy Lintencum, Rob McElwain, Mary MacEwan, John Mackoviak, Jane Martin & Bob Vint, Jon Miles, Nancy Myers, Kathy Norgard, Richard Osburn, Ismael Parra, Nancy Pontius , Alice Ritter, Carlos Salaz, Sr., Mazda Shirazi, Rosemary Solarez, James Stewart, Brian Stevens, Olga Strickland, Donald Tewels, Dennis Tallent & Laura Tallent, Anita Torrez & Lorenzo Torrez, Carolyn Trowbridge & Keith Bagwell, Susan Thorpe, Steve Valencia & Janet Valencia, Edward Vargas, Steve Wheaton, Michael Wheeler,Susan Willis , Wendell Wilson, Deb Wilmer.