ACTIVISTS FOR WORKERS PLAN 40-HOUR FAST.(CAPITAL REGION)

Byline: DEBORAH MARTINEZ Staff writer

It's anything but confrontational. Or loud.

But the power of fasting comes through: Gandhi led India to its independence from Britain because of it. Cesar Chavez fasted repeatedly, sometimes as long as three weeks, to draw attention to the dire conditions farm workers endured on the job.

And annually for the past five years the New York State Labor-Religion Coalition has fasted for 40 hours, attempting to focus New Yorkers on the working poor. The coalition's movement, which begins its sixth observance next Tuesday, is proven to move state lawmakers to action, said Sen. Nick Spano, R-Westchester County.

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