Workers from Sam A ndrews' Sons vote for a union contract after struggling for nineyears against the company. Brother Hugo Duenas raises a yes vote,

EDITORIAL

N early every human being who ever lived has atsome time or other wanted to be in two places at

once. That's the way I've felt ever since we started thetable grape boycott in July 1984.

I'm not a big-city man. I don't belong in New York orSt. Louis or Chicago. I belong out in the fields talkingwith you, at the bargaining table negotiating withgrowers, or in La paz administering the union.

But now that's practically impossible. When thegrowers contributed more than a million dollars to electGov. George Deukmejian and he stopped enforcing thefarm labor law in 1983, our national executive boardvoted to begin another table grape boycott to win backour rights.

That left me no choice but to go out and talk to thepeople about the boycott. So now I am constantly travel­ing up and down the U.S. and Canada talking to themedia, speaking at labor conventions and meetings, andgoing to fundraisers.

You know as well as I do that the boycott is the onlyway to fight back when growers abuse you and politicianswon't protect your rights. And you have to do your parthere in California and I have to do mine out on the road.

So if you don't see me in the fields or our offices asmuch as you used to, it's because I'm spreading theboycott message in some big city - where I HA VE to be,not where I want to be.

I wish I could be two places at once. Y

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Volume 1, Number 3

EL MALCRIADO ®~11(English Edition)

September 1986Magazine of the UnitedFarm Workers ofAmerica, AFL-CIOLa Paz, Keene, CA 93570National Executive Board:President:Cesar E. ChavezSecretary·Treasurer.Peter VelascoFirst Vice-President:Dolores HuertaSecond Vice·President:Frank OrtizThird Vice·President:David Martinez

Members:Arturo RodriguezArturo MendozaOscar MondragonBen Maddock

~Cesar Chavez

Managing Editor.Armando Garcia

Associate Editor.Ben Maddock

Writers:Marvin CortnerFr. Ken IrrgarigKimberly K Lawson

Photographer:Victor Aleman

Production Director:Paul Chavez

The United Farm Workers ofAmerica was founded in Delano,California in March 1962.

©1986 The title United FarmWorkers of America, AFL·CIO,EI Malcriado is registered withthe United States Patent andTrademark Office.Direct all correspondence to:

EI Malcriado(English Edition)P.O. Box 62, La PazKeene, CA 93570

EL MALCRIADO (English Edition)(ISSN 0731-0323) is publishedmonthly for $5 per year by theUnited Farm Workers of America,AFL·CIO, Old Highway 56, La Paz,California 93570. Second-classpostage is paid at Keene,California.

POSTMASTER: Send addresschanges to EL MALCRIADO,La Paz, California 93570.

Victory at Last

T he workers at Sam Andrews' Sonsand Abatti Produce have contracts

after struggles which lasted nearly adecade. Workers at both ranches werefinally victorious and have securedunion representation.

Sam Andrews' Sons Workers Win

The workers of Sam Andrews' Sonshave a contract after a nine-year strug­gle. The union won an election at thecompany, which has ranches in Bakers­field and Holtville, California in 1977.The certification took place the nextyear.

Brother Francisco Larios, vice presi­dent of the workers committee, hasworked at the company for more thanten years. "I have been a negotiator

since 1977," Francisco said. "And Ihave been fighting the company since1975. The company negotiated in badfaith because they did not want to giveanything to the workers.

"Finally, we have a contract, and Ifeel satisfied. We now have a base - afoundation - from which we can grow.We will get more benefits from the nextcontract. I have learned from this exper­ience how to defend myself and otherworkers."

The new contract was agreed uponJuly 22,1986, and it was ratified July 31.The contract expires July 22, 1987.

At peak, there are abou't 1000 workersat Sam Andrews' Sons. The company'sranches produce vegetables, melons andcotton. Wages for the vegetables and

3

committee know a lot about the con­tract," Saul said. "The members aretough, and they are going to need to betough because we don't expect this to bea smooth first year. But this committeeis tough enough to take the bad timeswith the good times."

Five of the Abatti 13 who won awards in a settlement worth more than $407,000.From left to right are: Sister Elena Solano and Brothers Ramon Berumen, JesusSolano, Miguel Chavez and Andres Montoya.

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$55,213$43,370$42,381$37,538$32,657$31,558$30,449$30,449$29,706$26,911$25,938$10,738$10,472

Abelino OrtegaAndres MontoyaMiguel L. Chavez Jr.Raul JimenezIsidoro AndradeFrancisco OrtizJesus SolanoRamon BerumenElena SolanoHerlinda AvituaLorenzo ChavarriaAgustin RodriguezReynaoldo Bermea

the grower to pay the workers their justdues. Finally, in 1983 the grower realizedhe was not going to get out of paying theworkers. A settlement for $407,491 wasapproved July 31. The workers are nowreceiving their back wages plus interest.

The growers will have to pay fourinstallments of $101,872. The first ofthese installments was paid, and the restwill arrive at ninety-day intervals.

Abatti is a lettuce and melon ranchlocated near Calexico.

The workers. who won settlements -arelisted below:

be able to get a better contract nexttime. "

The new contract will run from May1, 1986 to April 30, 1988. Wages will be$4.65 an hour for general labor the firstyear. In the second year there will be a15¢ per hour increase.

"The contract also has a good senior­ity clause," Esteben said. He added thatthe contract also gives workers agrievance and arbitration procedure."This procedure will help the workers agreat deal."

The contract also gives workers fivepaid holidays a year, and vacations are2% for the first three years and 4% forthree years and up.

During the long struggle there were 13workers who suffered for supportingand fighting for union protection. "Wecall these people the 13 of Abatti,"Brother Esteben said.

He explained that all these workerswere fired in the 1975-76 season. Abattikept appealing decisions which ordered

melons are $5.40 an hour for generallabor. Wages for cotton and other cropsare $4.86 an hour for general labor.

The workers will also receive theJDLC pension fund. Vacations in thenew contract run from 2070 to 4070depending on seniority, and there arefive paid holidays.

Workers also have a grievance and Abatti Workers Winarbitration system. This system is a The workers of Abatti Produce havestrong point of the contract according to fought the company for a long time.Brother Saul Martinez, crop manager of The union won an election and wasthe Lamont, California crop office. certified there in 1975. For nine years the"The system protects the employees," company refused to negotiate in goodSaul said. "It also allows us to get direct- faith.Iy involved in the grievance process. This But now the workers have finally wonwas our most important goal, and we a union contraCt. Also, 13 workers whoaccomplished it. Other goals will be were discriminated against during theforthcoming when we renegotiate the organizing drive have won a huge settIe-contract." ment worth more than $407,000.

There is a five-member workers com- After years of difficult and oftenmittee at the company. Workers will nonexistent negotiations, the 400also have 20 representatives. The workers at Abatti have a contract. It wasworkers committee consists of the ratified August 4, 1986.following workers: Javier Ramirez, The workers did not get everythingpresident; Francisco Larios, first vice they wanted, but they got what is mostpresident; Roberto Corona, second vice important - union protection. Brotherpresident; Samuel Barriga, third vice Esteben Jaramillo, crop manager of thepresident; and Francisco Luevano, Calexico, California field office,secretary. explained, "We now have something in

"The current members of the workers writing. With the grape boycott, we will

The negotiating committee and the UFW negotiator finally secured victory for the400 workers of Abatti. From left to right are Brothers Guadalupe Leon, EstabenJaramillo (UFW negotiator), Hilario Corral and Gilberto Castro.

Brother Francisco Cuevas, one of the 31 workers who were poisoned at HarrisFarms, said the growers "treated us like animals. "

31 Workers Poisoned

Workers Union convention. Three thou­sand delegates renewed their 1985endorsement of the table grape boycottby giving Cesar three standing ovations.

After seeing the "Wrath of Grapes"film and hearing Cesar speak, manydelegates had a better understandingabout pesticides, chemical residue onfood and the struggle to organize in thefields.

Postal Workers

Baltimore Trip

While Cesar was in Baltimore, MayorWilliam D. Schaefer declared July 8"Grape Boycott Day." The healthdepartment and city council alsoendorsed the boycott.

Early in the trip, over 100 labor,political, and religious leaders joinedCesar in a picket line at the LexingtonMarket, Baltimore's largest table grapeoutlet. Baltimore is the eighth largesttable grape market in the country.

Cesar received support from AFL­CIO leaders, two government workers

On August 11, Cesar went to San unions and from Catholic, Jewish andFrancisco for the American Postal Protestant ministers and congregations.

Hundreds of supporters listen to Cesar Chavez speak on the need to boycott gr:J!Json "Grape Boycott Day" in Baltimore.

T he "Wrath of Grapes" boycottgained support and momentum the

past two months as Brother CesarChavez visited two postal serviceworkers conventions and spent fourdays in Baltimore, Maryland.

Letter Carriers

As Cesar was escorted to the podiumto make a speech at the NationalAssociation of Letter Carriers conven­tion in St. Paul, Minnesota, 7,000delegates gave him a standing ovation.

NALC President Vince Sombrotto,who represents 280,000 workers, saidduring the convention that letter carriersmust help farm workers in their struggleto gain better working conditions and toforce growers into good-faith bargainingand free and fair elections.

On the last day of the convention,Sombrotto announced that his unionwould donate $10,000 to the boycott.

Grape Boycott Picks Up Momentum

company doctor in Fresno. The doctorgave each of the women two Tylenols,told them to shower and said they couldreturn to work the next day. Franciscoalso said the company took the rest ofthe crew to a local park for a few hoursof rest and told them to return to workthe next day.

A few days after the incident, the doc­tor suggested that the women not getpregnant for a year.

On August 21, the Fresno CountyAgricultural Commission issued a cita­tion to Harris for allowing workers intoa field before the re-entry time hadexpired. The notice of violation nowgoes to the district attorney who willbegin state action to decide how HarrisFarms will be punished for its sloppypesticide use and disregard for workers.

¥'

A t 6:30 a.m. on July 2, 31 workers atHarris Farms near Coalinga began

hoeing weeds in a cotton field. Withinhalf an hour the crew became ill withheadaches, dizziness, sore eyes andvomiting. Seven women fainted.

What the company foreman failed totell the crew was that the field had justbeen sprayed with Monitor-4, a danger­ous pesticide.

"First they poisoned us and then theytreated us like animals," said FranciscoCuevas, the only worker willing to talkopenly about the incident. Cuevas saidthat Harris officials threatened to fireworkers and evict them from companyhousing if they talked about thepoisoning.

Francisco, whose wife Rosalinda wasamong the workers who fainted, said thecompany drove the seven women to a

6 7

Brother Ozzie Hobdy, a 13-yearemployee 0/R.C. Cola, was/ired/or wanting unionrepresentation.

change according to Newman, "Thereare more problems down here than justthe money. Schools kids are out in thegroves. Of course the growers like to seethis. As long as there are children in thegroves, it's just that much longer they'llhave ignorant labor and cheap wages."

Children - and in the case of MaryBouldin, her infant grandchild - areforced to go into the groves to helpfamilies make ends meet.

"I'd like to have the health insurancelike the Coke workers," Bouldin saidreferring to the 700 Coca-Cola workerswho are under a UFW contract. "If Ihad it, I could take the children to thedoctor and not worry about the money."

Connie Caldwell, director of the FarmWorker Ministry in Florida, is aware ofthe farm workers' problems. "One thingI find very striking," Caldwell said, "isthe attitude of Coke workers who havebeen under contract for some time asopposed to the RC Cola workers whoare just now organizing.

"The Coke workers are obviouslypeople living normal lives and I don't seefear in them. I'm glad to see workerswhen they organize - they gain dignityand confidence." ..

work has been scarce. The struggle withAdams Packing - and its parent com­pany, Royal Crown Cola - has becomemore than a struggle for justice, it is astruggle for their livelihood. All 401workers were fired by Adams Packingfor wanting a uI1ion.

Ozzie Hobdy, 24, left his Mont­gomery, Alabama home to work in thegroves with his mother when he wasseven years old. He has worked forAdams for 13 years.

Labor contractors are a constantsource of grief to many workers. "Iwent one time with a contractor withAdams," Hobdy said. "He took us buthe didn't give us enough food - mostlyhe gave us rice. He wouldn't give us anyvegetables. "

Buses going to the Adams groves areunsafe, according to many workers, andbreakdowns are frequent. Hobdy said,"If the bus catches fire, everybody hasto get out on their own - there are nofire extinguishers. If they have a flat,you might be there until the next morn­ing because there aren't any spares."

Gene Newman, 45, has worked in thefields for most of his life. He worked forAdams Packing for twelve seasons.

The system itself is insulated against

Florida/arm workers are made to pay $22.50 a week to live in this substandard laborcamp.

1j

he said. The same number of workersshare a bathroom.

The squalid ten-by-ten foot rooms aremade to sleep as many as four or five onsoiled mattresses on the floor. For asingle mattress on the floor, a workerpays $22.50 a week.

These living conditions are not univer­sal in the citrus groves of Florida, but 'they are not uncommon. Pay is low; asurplus of labor exists; child labor iscommon; and sanitary facilities areunknown. The following workers telltheir own story.

For 401 Adams Packing Associationpickers signing UFW cards last spring,

Our Brothers and Sistersin Florida

8

By Barney F. McClelland

F or many farm workers in Florida,. working and living conditions aredeplorable. David Smith, a UFW organ­izer, took an £1 Malcriado reporter toone labor camp. This is what the campwas like:

A box of banana peels rotting in thesun holds the back door open. Thecramped kitchen, lighted only by anopen window, contains a small waterheater, a refrigerator, a stopped sinkand an electric stove.

David points to the only burner on thestove that works. "Twenty-five or thirtypeople have to do their cooking here,"

Delegatesfrom Coca-Cola and R.C Cola travelled from Florida to attend the UFWConvention in Bakersfield. From left to right are Brothers Lucien Lamothe, ParnellParker, Gene Newman (R.C), Leock Montes, Kenny Snodgrass (field officemanager), Ozzie Hobdy (R.C), Willie Simpson, Joel Rolle and Allan Bedward.

Fifteen Years Later ­Workers Still Strong

shelves.' 'Also through the pressure of workers'

actions, Carrot has finally agreed to sitdown at the negotiating table. At presstime, only the first meeting had takenplace.

Karl Lawson, a horticultural divisionmanager and head negotiator for EggCity, also said that the strikers are hurt­ing the company through a strategy called"headlight picketing." The union hasargued that shiploads of Egg City eggsare as much a part of the company as thecompany gates and therefore can bepicketed.

Workers have been following ship­ments of eggs to West Coast ports.Tl)ere the workers picket the load. Sincethe1ongshoremen will not cross a picketline, they do not load the ships with thescab eggs.

"We stopped six loads of eggs in oneweek through headlight picketing," Karlsaid.

Other unions supporting the strikersinclude the United Auto Workers andthe Flight Attendants Association. Y

Boycott and Picket Lines Are Working

Striking workers from Egg City (from left to right), Brothers Jose Mendez, SamuelSalgado, Ricardo Meza and Don Hamilton engage in a very successful strategy ­headlight picketing.

T he 300 workers of Egg City inMoorpark, California have been on

strike since June. They have been fight­ing Richard Carrot, the company'sowner, who slashed wages, orderedwork speedups and instituted ridiculouswork rules. Carrot is now employingscabs to try and break the strike.

Perhaps Carrot thought it would beeasy to defeat the strikers. He waswrong. The workers are fighting back,and they are getting support. In August,Carrot told a newspaper reporter thatthe Egg City boycott is costing his com­pany between $50,000 and $90,000 aweek.

Carrot has lost some of his largercustomers. McDonald's and some largestores have quit ordering and stockingthe scab-produced eggs. Brother BenMaddock, a national executive boardmember and the temporary executive ofthe crops division, said, "Through thepressure of the workers picketing,boycotting and talking to Egg Citycustomers, we have gotten McDonald'sand others to take the eggs off their

JDLC and the prepaid legal plan."We also get sick pay, vacations and

11 holidays," Joel said. "Without theunion, workers are treated like dogs.The union is the only way workers canfight the company."

Parnell Parker has worked for Cokefor 15 years. He is the secretary of theworkers committee in Avon Park.

"1 was picking grapefruit whenManuel Chavez [a union organizer)came to Coke. 1 was up on a ladder, andI had signed the card before I reachedthe ground. The union won that electionby a large majority.

"I helped negotiate the second con­tract, and it wasn't easy. When wenegotiated we demanded everything inwriting because if you don't the com­pany will lie to you. But we got what wewanted."

The Coke workers signed their presentcontract last year. They will renegotiatein 1988." Y

W orkers from Coca-Cola traveledfrom Florida to California in

August to attend the UFW's EighthConstitutional Convention. Six dele­gates representing the more than 800Coca-Cola workers visited the unionheadquarters in Keene and discussed thebenefits of union representation.

Brother Joel Rolle is the generalsecretary of the workers committee inFort Pierce and has worked for Cokesince 197 I. He represents workers fromthe Fort Pierce area.

"Before the union came, we were get­ting 35<1: a box for oranges. With the cur­rent contract, we are guaranteed 93<1: abox. Next year it will be 96<1:," Joel said.

Joel and the other workers said thatthey did not get all of the benefits theywanted in their first contract. The unionwas certified at Coke in 1972, but it wasnot until the second contract was negoti­ated did the workers get medical, pen­sion and other benefits. Under the cur­rent contract, the workers receive RFK,

10 II

Workers Win ThreeMoney Settlements

J

Masson label. The only difference is thatthe grapes come from non-union vine­yards owned by other companies. InSoledad, the vineyards remain dry anddeserted.

$56,000 for McAnally Worker

Sister Azucena Hernandez, whoworked at McAnally Enterprises Inc. inRiverside, California, once again has themoney for a down payment on a housefor herself and her family.

In 1975 Azucena had a steady job withthe McAnally egg ranch and had madeseveral payments on a house. But thenAzucena helped the United FarmWorkers try to organize the ranch andthat is when the company fired her. Shelost the house because she couldn't makethe payments. The Union helpedAzucena file an unfair labor practicecharge.

"I never lost hope that the unionwould help me get justice from the com­pany," said Azucena. "I knew when Iwas fired that ex-Governor Jerry Brownwouldn't allow it because he had justsigned the Agricultural Labor RelationsAct giving farm workers the right toorganize. "

Azucena settled with the company onMay 9 and received her check for

$56,000 in July. She now lives in SanDiego and hopes to buy a house with hersettlement.

Brother Concepcion Diaz, a workerwho was demoted at McAnally for sup­porting the Union, received $625.10 ashis part of the settlement.

In the McAnally settlement, the com­pany had to pay 100 percent of therequested back pay.

Associated Produce

For 44 broccoli cutters and stackers atAssociated Produce in Salinas, a settle­ment of $3,900 divided between them isabout $88 per worker - not a greatamount but proof that a contract doeswork.

In 1984, the company hired backworkers without consulting a senioritylist, which is against the contract. Theunion filed a grievance and that is whatled to the settlement.

Brother Antonio Galvez, a UFW rep­resentative in the Salinas area, said thatworkers were happy that they were ableto force the company to adhere to thecontract, though their victory is bitter­sweet. The company has dismissed allthe workers because it is going out of thebroccoli harvesting business. Y

Four of the Associated Produce workers who won in a settlement against the com­pany. From left to right are Brothers Felix Munos, Jose A vila, Jaime Gutierrez andGerardo Rodriguez.

W orkers received settlements fromthree companies this past month.

The money awards ranged from $56,000to $88.

Seagram Company

The 144 workers who were fired inDecember 1985 from Paul Masson Vine­yards in Soledad without notice or com­pensation have now received partialjustice from Seagram Company Ltd.,the owner of the vineyards.

In the settlements, workers receivedtwo weeks of severance pay for everyyear worked, six months of medicalcoverage and letters of recommendation.

Immediately after the company fired

12

the workers, the UFW launched a boy­cott of all Seagram's wines andliquors and picketed stores where thoseproducts were sold.

Brother Rodolfo Amezcua, a PaulMasson employee for 14 years and amember of the ranch committee, saidthe workers should have picketed longerand not become complacent when thecompany appeared it wanted to settle.

Brother Raymond Lopez, a 15-yearemployee of the company who received$9,185 in the settlement, said he didn'tget everything he thought he deservedbecause the company did not accountfor all the time he worked.

Seagram still sells wine with the

Brother Rodoljo Amezcua and his daughter, Sister Teresa Amezcua Serrano, aremembers of the base committee from Paul Masson. They recently received severancepay as part of a settlement with Seagrams (Paul Masson's parent company).

TESTIMONIALUPDATES

This past August, the UFW honoredtwo farm workers who gave their livesfor justice in the fields.

Nagi Daifullah, a 24-year-old immi­grant from the Arab Republic ofYemen, died on August 15, 1973 frominjuries inflicted by a Kern Countydeputy sheriff.

Juan de la Cruz was shot and killed ona UFW picket line two days after Nagidied. Sixy-year-old Juan had come tothe United States as a bracero and hadbeen a member of other unions beforehe joined the UFW.

After the two deaths, the UFW calledoff the grape strike to avoid furtherviolence.

fine.

On August 30, 201 delegates attendedthe UFW Eighth Constitutional Conven­tion held in Bakersfield, California.

The delegates passed 19 resolutionsand heard reports from executive boardmembers. Baldemar Velasquez, presi­dent of the Farm Labor OrganizingCommittee, was the featured speaker.

Two fraternal delegates representingFlorida's Royal Crown workers alsoattended the convention. They weresponsored by the Coca ,Cola workers.

Retiree Tells History, Offers Advice

Brother Felix Gonzalez, a retired worker from NAPA, receives a monthly pensionfrom the JDLC Farm Worker Pension F',und.

F elix Gonzalez, 60, is a retired farmworker and recipient of the JDLC

pension plan. He lives in Napa, Califor­nia. Here he tells the history of hisassociation with the union and how hefeels today.

"I was the first union organizer fromNapa Valley Vineyards. 1 worked forNapa Valley Vineyards for 16 years andretired in 1985. Since 1971, we workedunder a union contract.

"A little before August 1971, we helda three day march in the Napa Valley.The first day there were 60 people; thesecond day there were 250 people. By thethird day we had 3000 people.

"At that time we were making $1.40an hour. We marched because we didnot have job security or benefits. Afterthe march we signed a contract.

"I organized the ranch because we didnot have any benefits or job security.

14

My spirit is always with the union. To­day 1 am happy because, thanks to theunion, 1 have benefits. One of the bestbenefits 1 have is my pension check. 1received my first pension check the firstmonth that 1 retired.

"The most significant thing we have isCesar Chavez, a leader who will not sellhimself to the growers. The workers arewhat is most valuable to Cesar.

"But in order to win our fight, wecannot expect Cesar to do all the work.The workers must do it.

"I would like workers who do nothave contracts to know that one of themost important things a worker canhave is the respect and dignity owedthem for their labor.

"I worked as a union member, andnow 1 am harvesting my benefits. 1receive my pension every month." Y

The UFW made some staff changesthe past month for the boycott.

Frank Ortiz has gone to Chicago.David Martinez is in Toronto. ArturoRodriguez, grape boycott director, is inNew York. Arturo Mendoza is inDetroit and Oscar Mondragon is in LosAngeles.

Ramiro Perez of the Salinas office hasgone to Chicago. Lupe Bautista of SanYsidro has gone to Los Angeles.

Humberto Gomez will cover contracts. in the Salinas, Greenfield and Hollisterareas. Saul Martinez will cover Delano,Lamont, Porterville, Livingston, Parlierand Napa.

Victor Posner, president of RoyalCrown Cola, was convicted in July ofevading more than $1.2 million infederal income taxes by inflating thevalue of land he donated to MiamiChristian College. The maximum sen­tence is 40 years in prison and a $75,000

Brother Joshua Hambrick, Cokeworker, died in July. Brother Hambrickwas 54 years old.

He joined the union in 1972 as a Cokeworker and was an active member untilhis death. He was a tractor driver.

The UFW mourns the loss of BrotherHambrick and extends its sympathy tohis family.

On September 3, Clare Berryhill, thedirector of the California Department ofFood and Agriculture, rescinded a five­day-old ban on dinoseb, an ingredient inmany herbicides.

Berryhill had banned the chemicalafter new EPA tests showed it can causebirth defects and male sterility. Hereversed his decision because of pressurefrom growers and the California FarmBureau.

Dinoseb is one of five deadly pesti­cides used on grapes that the UFWwants banned. Y

15