Vol. VII No.5

Strawberry W'orJ.cers win UFW' Contract

Victory in Watsonville Str-lie

For the second time in five days in mid-May strawberry pickers at American Foods in Watsonville.walk out of the fields demanding union representation by the United Farm Workers of America.Two days later, they won a contract. Photo: Ricardo Villalpando.

At this crucial point, fieldoffice Director Roberto Garciaand other UFW organizers keptthe picket line strong in spirituntil an afternoon rally was heldin the city park, which was join­ed by more than 100 strawberryworkers who work under a UFWcontract at Pik'd Rite in Chular.

Antonio Guevara, president ofthe Pik'd Rite ranch committeelater told EI Malcriado, "Weall went around to the camps,telling our brothers why ourunion was the union of farmworkers. Then we asked themto participate in order to wina contract."

At the American Foods camp,Roberto Garcia sai'd he saw 28men living in two small rooms,with as many as ten men sharingthree mattresses pushed togetheron the noor. The young men,"illegals" from Mexico, toldGarcia that Masuka charged them$130 per month for rent whileanothpr supervisor named Ma­nuel charged them $3.50 a dayfor meals. The total each manhad to pay came to over $220a month.

The camp itself is located inEastern Wa,tsonville, with its fivelong barracks located between aslaughterhouse and a junkyard.

The following morning Masukabrought in armed guards and spe­eial buses to scare the strike­breakers from leaving. But as

(continued on page 10)

$2.00 plus 5 cents a _box theywere receiving. The demand wasrefused.

At that point, they elected acommittee in the fields and de­cided to ask the UFW's Salinasfield office for help.

On May 12, the workers beganto picket the strawberry fieldsat San Miguel Road, leaving themempty, except for the manager.the supervisors and foremen.

On May 13, though, the picketline thinned as some workersreturned to work under threatof eviction from their roomsin the company's labor camp.Also, new workers were broughtin by the company. A large num­ber of workers also left to findwork elsewhere.

It 100kPd as tholl~h thp strikewould end like so many beforeit, killed by the poverty that gaverise to the protest in the firstplace.

Turning pqint

Cheating charged

The workers made a demandto Masuka for $2.40 an hourplus 25 cents a box, a consi­derably higher wage than the

WATSONVILLE, Ca. -' Onehundred and fifty strawberrypickers won the highest farmworker wages in the Watsonvillearea and additional guaranteesof a UFW contract May 16. Thevictory came only five days af­ter the workers launched a spon­taneous strike against AmericanFoods, Inc., a corporation withstrawberry fields in five U.S.states and Mexico.

Coming within weeks 0 f twomajor rallies in the area withCesar Chavez and the formationof a watsonville Organizing Com­mittee, the workers'new contractis the first for the UFW in thestrawberries in this area. (Seerelated stories on p. 5.)

The contract, with a wage in­crease to 90 cent a ox piece­rate with a $2.50 hourly guaran­teed minimum, was won whenAmerican Foods sold its cropto Pik'd Rite, a company thatalready has a UFW contract. Thenew wages represent a 20% in­crease over the previous $2.00per hour.

The strike was triggered bycompany supervisor Maxin Ma­suka's attempts to impose a sys­tem of wages on the workersthat would have robbed themof even minimum wages, theworkers told EI'Malcriado.

"Masuka came and told usthat he was going to pay the slowworkers who pick less than 20boxes an hour by piece-rate andthe fast ones who pick m 0 r ethan 20 , by the hour," saidArmando Rosales, a young work­er who later became president­of the ranch committee.

"It should have been the otherway around, but the grower want­ed it to his advantage. So webegan to complain, and after somediscussion we decided not to goto work."

Another worker, Antonio Al­varez, said Masuka had consis­tently cheated them of hours andboxes pic ked. pretended t 0

"lose" checks,' and pushed theworkers to the point of exhaus­tion.

Workers maKe aemands

Lamont, Delano, Selma p. 6

GRAPE STRII{ES!

Harve t in Coachella, p. 3-4

Picket captain Juan Salazar is thrown into a squad car May I by Tulare County Deputy Sheriff Jim Dun­ham (center), and other officers, minutes after the' first strike line of the year in the fruit trees waestablished near Reedley, California. Note that the deputy on the right is pUlling back on Salazar's armwith the handcuffs while at the same time joining the others in shoving him into the car. See page 6 formore details. Photo: Federico FIotte

New Roberts' ties to Nixon financier

Delano grower faces indictment

However, it was made to ap­pear, according tothe testimoneybefore the grand jury, that Ro­berts had purchased the bondsfrom another Smith company andso owned them independently,when in fact the USNB let himuse them. With the money soobtained, Roberts "bought" theK-S-W land and the deal wascertified as legitimate.

Not long after, Smith arrangedfor Roberts' debt to the fourbanks to be paid off and theTreasury Bonds were returnedto the USNB.

The net effect of this manue­vering was to place Roberts inostensible control of the 8820acres of land (see chart) eventhough he never paid a -cent forit. Smith in fact retained con­frol of the land the K-S- W com­panies, without any financial loss

.. (Cont'd On Pa~(' 10) -<

Leddy raps

EI Malcriado

forms "unspecified service."Apparently, the major serviceis to allow Smith to use Pre­ferred Properties as a conduitfor land and money.)

Smith then attempted to declarea profit for Westga.te on thetransaction, but his independentauditors realized that the landnever left Smith's control andso refused to allow the arti­ficial profit.

So Smith went to Roberts andasked him -to purchase the pro­perties, which Roberts did, usingmoney that Smith arranged to beloaned to him by four banks out­side California.

BAKERSFIELD, Ca. -- KernCounty District Attorney AlbertLeddy has written to El Malcria­do disputing the newspaper's ac­count of his role in a seriesof meetings that took place ear­lier this year among l,aw en­forcement officials from agri­cultural counties in California.

El Malcriado charged that Led­dy organized the series ofmeetings and that they were ai m­ed at "standardizing" anti­picketing injunctions and arrestprocedures for use against UFWstrikers this summer.

"I am sending this letter as arequest that you correct state­ments in your April 17,1974 issuewhich are inaccurate and proba­bly libelous," Leddy' wrote toEI Malcriade in early May.

A full response to .Leddy'sletter will be printed in the nextissue of El Malcriado.

Roberts to the rescue

This appeared to eliminateSmith from the transaction. How­ever, when Smith obtained theloans for Roberts, he prOVidedas collateral some U.S. Treasurybonds which were owned by theUSNB, again involving the bankin the transaction.

Artificial profit

At that point it was disco­vered that Westgate was goinglose money for the year, and thesyndication idea didn't get veryfar. So it was decided to sellthe cattle ranch land earlierthan had been expected so thatWestgate could show a profit.

So Westgate sold the K-S- Wgroup and its. land to a com­pany called Preferred Proper­ties, owned bySmith's good friendIrving X. Burg. Preferred Pro­perties paid for the land withmoney supplied indirectly by theUSNB,

(Burg has a written contractwith Smith for $25,000 a year,according to evidence before thegrand jury, for which he per-

Less well- known, however, isRoberts' role in Smith trans­actions involving thousands ofacres of land in the San J oa­quin Valley. Kern and TulareCounty records list endless landtransactions among companiesidentified before the grand juryas Roberts companies and othersidentified as Smith or Coen com­panies.

For example, at least twogroups of dummy corporations(see chart) were assembled bySmith between 1970 and 1972 andplaced under Robert's name..Control of these companies re­mained with Smith, however, ac­cording to testimoney and evi­dence before the grand jury.

One group, for example, con­sisted of Kingsburg Oil Co.,Strathmore Cattle Co., and Wood­lake Far ms, (K-S-W). TheK-S-W group was establishedto promote· Smith's "monsterproject," a multi- million dollarscheme aimed at artificially in­creasing the value of the West­gate- California Cor p. manytimes over so that Smith couldsell it for a' huge profit justbefore the bottom dropped out.

To do this, Smith wanted toset up a syndication of 12000acres of cattle ranch land in theWestern San Joaquin Valleywhere many wealthy people wouldeach buy several hundred acresas a tax dodge.

Smith had his army of law­yers and accountants set up threenew corporations, Kingsburg,Strathmore, and Woodlake. Withloans laundered from the USNBand westgate, the K-S- W groupthen bought 8820 acres of theland for $12.5 million.

from the USNB. Until recently,Roberts said that he and notSmith controlled the airline. Thegovernment's contention that Ro­berts never owned the airline,however, was strengthened inMarch when Roberts quietly re­turned it to its original owner,a Coen - controlled company,without receiving any money inreturn.

The federal grand jury is nowconsidering c ha r gin g Robertswith lying to the government abouthis involvements in the trans­action.

Land is money

Golden West perjury

image of his patron, C. ArnholtSmith, are shattered. It's goingto be a tough year.

By the end of May, Roberts mayfind himself charged with federalcrimes in connection with his tiesto Smith, the well.- known SanDiego businessman, whose bil­lion-dollar financial empire col­lapsed last year./ A source close to the federalgrand jury investigating that col­lapse told El Malcriado that Ro­berts, faces indictments for per­jury and the illegal use of theassests of Smith's bank to pur­chase land. There also is thepossibility of a conspiracycharge.

Smith himself faces a varietyof indictments, including bankingviolations, stock fraud, and ille­gal campaign contributions to hislong-time friend and businessassociflte, Richard Nixon.

In 1968, Smith arranged for­Nixon to appoint Hollis Robertsto a special agricultural advisorygroup, and the rumors never diedthat Nixon had stopped severalinvestigations into the Smith e m­pire until Watergate.

Roberts' role in Smith'sattempt to gain control of GoldenWest Airlines has been well-pUb­licized. Smith's effort was op­posed by the government becauseit would allow' him a transpor­tation monopoly in the Los An­geles area-he already owned theYellow Cab Co., a helicoptercompany, and another airline.

The Civil Aviation Board' hascharged that Roberts purchasedGolden West in 1971 using laun­dered money provided by Smith

The collapse of Smith's UnitedStates National Bank (USNB) inSan Diego in October of 1973revealed a complex series oftransactions among Roberts,Smith, and Kansas City financierMichael eoen, with Smith pullingthe strings.

Dummy corporations, thou­sands of acres of land, and mil­lions of dollars changed hands ona daily basis: Each transfer ofpaper generated millions ofdollar s in pr ofits.

In a lawsuit against the Smithempire, the government chargedthat the ultimate purpose of thesetransactions was to allow Smithto steal the money of the USNB'sstockholders and depositors anduse it to build his huge company,the Westgate California Corp.

Roberts' role, the governmentcharged, was to head a numberof phoney companies whichSmithcould use in his scheme.

In return, Smith financed aa massive land expansion pro­gram for Roberts, permitting,for example, the purch se byRoberts of 70,000 acres of farmland from Tenneco in late 1971and early 1972.

The collapse of the bank re­vealed $100,000,000 in loans to"The Hollis Roberts Group" thatcould not be collected.

Unholy ~! I iance

Watergate in fields

vate office. At his desk, he canexamine a piece of paper, signit, and move it from one sideof his desk to the other. Notbad, a $500,000 transaction, ajust return to capitaL He smilesagain.

But all is not well for HollisRoberts. There is watergateout there on his land. watergate,complete with the "iaundering"of millions of dollars to concealtheir' origin and complete withillegal acts designed only to en­hance a pUblic image. water­gate, complete with crimes tocover up crimes, fraud to coverup fraud.

The workers are on strikeagain and those damn red andbla.ck nags are everywhere hegoes. The Teamsters, well, atleast they provide some stabilityin the labor factor. No morenuisances like that work stoppagethe workers pulled off in Aprilof 1972 because he wasn't payingth€ two cents per box to theUnion's economic fund, as sti­pulated in the UFW contract thenin effect.

His partner in a million-dollarfarm management company hasdeserted him, charging him withsystematic cheating. The bankhe relied on for financing hascollapsed. His hopes of build­ing a financial empike in the

y9

Hollis Roberts

MCFARLAND, Ca. - 'A goodfar mer, it is said, knows howto use his land, By this stan­dard, Hollis Roberts is a goodfarmer.

Standing outside his moderncorporate headquarters in thisSan Joaquin Valley town, Robertscan see his citrus groves, utorchards.. and vineyards in a 1directions, 100,000 acres worth.And although he can't see themfrom where he stanrls, he knowsthere are several thousand farmworkers out there, working eightor ten hours a day, earning per­haps $2.30 an hour.

A good wage, if he may sayso, the best they've ever had.Hell, ten years ago it was $UO.

Smiling to himself, Roberts can·turn and enter his spacious pri-

Hollis Roberts Group

$98,302,400

Roberts Farms, Inc.

$16,160,301

Golden West Airlines Algrove, Inc.

$9,206,664 . $1,799,398

Hargrove Ranches•Ajax Finance I $2,849,904

Apollo Ranches Kingsburg Oil Co.

$4,802,455 I-- $3,068,904

Bishop Mortgage Strathmore Cattle$8,608,237 - Co.

~1,997,500

Castle Packing Woodlake Farms,$3,594,505 I- Inc.

$2,997,231

Excal ibur Engineering San Joaquin$5,289,217 I-- Ranches

$9,296,666

Knight Farming Santa Maria

$5,242,054I-- Ranches

$10,098,717

Sabre Acceptance Kernville Brokerage

• $1,702,886 - Co•~

$3,157,463

Trident Discount J. R. Barry CO.$1,223,128 - $4,638,112

This chart shows companies which on paper appeared to belong to Hollis Roberts asof January 1,1974. Most of them, including the K-S- W group and the Ajax Financegroup. actually were controlled by C. Arnholt Smith and used for such purposes as"laundering" money to conceal its origin. Each company shown owns land in Kernor Tulare County. The figures in each box, from government sources, show how mucheach company had rec~ived in loans from Smith's U.S. National Bank at the time ofthe bank's collapse in 1973.

Pa e 2 - Ma 29, 1974 - EI Malcriado

r

at a camp maintained for the ­strikers.

Support growsStrike support from all over the

state and nation continues topour into the valley. Many groupsand individuals have visited anddonated -food.

Among these have been theOrange County Support Commit­tee, students from the Minnea­polis Free School. Manuel Sie­rras, an international represen­tative of the United Steel Work­ers, Bill Gallardo of the Cali­fornia Federation of Labor, A­braham and Jean Zwinckel, andUAW Local #560 members WillieRegalado and Arthur Uribes fromSan Jose.

Also, on June 7th some 400delegates from the InternationalConvention of the United AutoWorkers in Los Angeles willcome to join the picket lines.And June 8 the Orange CountySupport Committee will bring ina massive car caravan ex-pectedto draw over a thousand support­ers to bring strikers food whichis now being collected.

man of labor contractor JimmyReyes was heard boasting thatTeamster organizers Manuel Al­varado and Lazaro Rodriguezgive him $1 for every farm work­er's signature he gets on theTeamster authorization cards.One day he said he made $700.

Days later, on May 1, elevenmen and women working under aTeamster contract signed bygrower Henry Moreno joined thestrike. They were protestingwhat they said was brutal treat­ment by their foreman and in­humane living conditions at thelabor camp where they werestaying.

They told EI Malcriado thatowner and camp operator JoseMorales refused to give themtheir checks in order to keep themfrom leaving the camp, wherehe charged them $4 a day. Theysaid there no toilets there forthe women and they had to sleepin their car.

They were given legal assis­tance by the United Farm Work­ers and stayed free of charge

··~J7..···..,, . . 1

~~~,4

"HUELGA, companeros!" says Tomas Barrios (center), a picket line captain in the Coachella Valley.Last year Teamsters hired goons at $67.50 a day to beat and maim strikers, but the same men andwomen have returned this year to try to win back the contracts stolen by the Teamsters.

E 1 Malcriado - May 29, 1974 - Page 3

Strike pressure

The picket lines continue toput pressure on the growers.On April 25, 80 pickets station­ed themselves at the Karaha­dian Ranch on 59th Ave. and Hays.As usual, Teamster organizersarrived minutes later to get thestrikebreakers to sign Teamsterauthorization cards. The c r e wnot only refused to sign thecards, but 21 quit the field andjoined the strike.

Then, more Teamsters arrivedon the scene and stationed them­selves at the edge of the field,apparently to keep the remainingstrikebreakers from leaving thefield too. When asked why overa third of the crew had rejectedthe Teamster contract, Teamsterorganizer Frank Gonzalez toldEI Malcriado. "Those were justchavista plants."

But Teamsters are doing eve­rything possible to shore up theirsteadily deteriorating position inthe fields. For example, a fore-

"We don't impound cars," hesaid.

Over 40 members of the Orange County Farm Worker Support Committee caravaned to Coachella Aprll 27to picket with farm workers. Among the groups represented were the International Association of Ma­chinists, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Cal State Fullerton, Pamona College, University ofRedlands, Teamster Local 896, Society of Friends, Shalom Ecumenical Fellowship, and the League ofWomen Voters.

.,.<i:i

When asked by EI Malcriadowhy the owner was not detainEdas a possible smuggler, ChiefBorder Patrol agent Neal Novaksaid that it was a "normal oper­ation" to hand over such trans­port vehicles to their owners.

Human contraband

The smuggling of "illegals"into the county has become soprofitable during farm workerstrikes that the U.S. Border Pa­t.ol has complained in recentmonths that professional smug­glers are startingtoprefer aliensto narcotics as contraband.

On April 18 California High­way Patrol officers stopped anold car driving north on Highway10 near Coachella and found a 16­year- old driver and 11 men with­out immigration papers in thecar. They were turned over tothe U.S. Border Patrol. The boydriver received a short jail term,but the owner of .the vehicle usedin the smuggling showed up toclaim the car and was handedover his keys by Border Patrolofficials with no questions asked.

The same car was stoppedagain April 24 on Interstate 10.Another 16-year old without pa­pers was driving. This timethere were 17 illegals crowdedinto the old auto and 21 morejammed into a little trailer be­ing towed behind. All were cap­tured and deported, yet the smug­gler remains free.

all the dues they want from themand they can't demand themback."

not have the bulk to go to rai­sins (four tons grapes equalsone ton of raisins), thus forc­them to either pick the grapesor let them rot.

So far, the success of the strikein stopping many regular work­ers from going into the fieldshas promoted growers to bringin even more workers illegallyfrom Mexico, workers who notonly work for less, but are notfree to join the strikes. .

There are now so many il­legals in the fields that manyworkers with proper immigration'papers can't get jobs. This iscreating discontent even amongstrikebreakers. One told ElMalcriado, "The Teamsters giveus work only now and then, be­cause the growers prefer the il­legals who will work harder forless--and besides, they can take

L,~· '--~."

Coachella grape harvest finds growers in retreat",-

-t

reported "labor is really be­ginning to move." Similar de­monstrations, picket lines andleafletting are planned all overthe nation urging consumers notto buy grapes.

The Coachella Valley producesonly 12.5% of all table grapes,buth it's southern latitude allowsgrowers there to reach themarket first and to demand thehighest prices-- unless a boycottis on.

Many of the larger Coachellagrowers deny this. But evidenceindicates that in private, theyare making plans. A letter fromgrower Harry Car ian to all theother grape growers April 12refered to numerous "conversa­tions" among growers about put­ting large portions of their cropinto "raisins and/or wine" andmade them a "lucrative offer"to bUy these for resale.

But in early May, sourcesclose to the growers revealedthat the crop yield this year willbe so low that most growers will

Map strategy

Coachella growers, trying tooutwit the boycott are using halfthe normal manpower inpre-har­vest thinning, hiring "illegals"and lauching a massive "buygrapes" advertising campaignthat includes the use ofTeamsterpropagandists in major U.S.cities. Also, they are divertinglarge portions of their tablegrapes into wine and raisins,which require less hand labor.

COACHELLA, Ca. -- As thegrape harvest is about to beginin the Coachella Valley, grapegrowers look out over their vine­yards and see unthinned grapes,continuous picket line activity,and on the horizon, a nationwideAFL-CIQ-supported boycott ofscab grapes.

About five hundred labor andchurch leaders plan a demons­tration May 30 at Boston's cen­tral Chelsea Market to let buyersknow "if they buy scab grapesthey bUy a picket line," reportedBoston boycott director NickJones.

In New York, the boycott direc­tor there and Executive Boardmember Richard Chavez said,"We'll stop them with picketlines." And in Cleveland, Ohiostate boycott head and ExecutiveBoard member Eliseo Medina

In late April the arrival of 17 high school students and 4 teachers from-the Southeast Alternative Free School in Minneapolis participated in

Coachella picket lines, The students raised over $3000 to make thet!ducational trip to see for themselves .what tbe farm struggle was all'about. And they found themselves attacked by the growers. harassedby the local police and name-called by officials of the Teamster office.

Goldwater 'smuggles illegals',~

pays workers 50 cents an hour

Teamster contracts: poison for farm workers. This rig is spraying Gebr~llin (gibrylllc a?id) on Coachellagrapes which makes them grow abnormally big, but tasteless. Ths SpraVlllg was done While ,farm worke~s

labored in the rows at the far right (not in photo) an~ by an operator who ~ore no protectIve face n:asK•Teamster organizers present in the Karahadian field scoffed at charges of negligence, and told El Mal?nad,~,"Go look at the California state laws if you want to know. They're the ones who are on top of these thlllgS.

Page 4 - May 29, 1974 ~ E I Malerfado

Later Romeo Mata told El Mal­criado that the 'Teamster doubleand triple dues deductions werenot "strange" at all.

"Just imagine, at the Tudorranch there were over 400 of usworking and they deducted duestwice a month from all of us.Where is that money?" he asked."Many people are afraid they willbe beaten if they go to ask fortheir money back from the Team­sters. They ( the Teamsters )speak harshly to the people andsay they won't help them just toget rid of them. But I won'tlet them rob me."_ Mata finally got his moneyback after much insistence andpressure on grower Tudor.

Mata then went back to work,this time for Karahadian, one ofthe largest grape growers in theCeachella Valley. But by April 19he and many others got tired ofhow hard a foreman pushed them.A total of 50 workers walked outand joined the strike. .

Some, like Romeo Mata, joinedthe picket lines to tell theirpersonal experience to the otherstrikebreakers, while others justleft Coachella to look for workon ranches that are not beingstruck.

" As long as they keep abusingus, I won't work with that so­called union," said Mata, "I'drather go work elsewhere wherethere is no strike, because whyShould I scab for $2.30 an hourif I can earn $2.47 under Unioncontract in Calexico or $2.51 withFreedman?"

where he had worked before join­ing the strike. "This isn'ta union, it's a business," Matasaid.

The figures on the check stubsshow how Mata, his wife andhis mother-in-law all had $8monthly Teamster dues deductedfrom their pay checks each of thetwo times they were paid in onemonth.

While this practice is reportedby workers from Calexico to Sa­linas, most workers have been a­fraid to say something about it.But Mata is part of a growingnumber of farm workers forcedto work under Teamster contractby necessity, who not only demandtheir money back, but in someareas have forced growers notto deduct Teamster dues fromtheir paychecks in the first place.

Gonzalez stared at the checkstubs and realizing Mata meantbusiness, told him, "Why don'tyou come down to the Teamsteroffice in Indio and we'll see aboutit."

"Pve been there for a weekalready," answered Mata, "andall they told me was to go talkto Tudor, that it was none of theirbusiness. What kind of a unionis that? A grower's union, that'swhat!"

Gonzalez looked at the dozenangry strikers that had gatheredaround the scene by this time andcould only mutter, "How strange,how strange," before returningto his car across the road fromthe picketline.

COACHELLA, Ca. -- "Lookhow you are robbing me," strik­er Romeo Mata angrily toldTeamster organizer Frank Gon­zalez. As he walked on the pic­ket line he showed Gonzalez checkstubs from the Tudor Ranch

~

Romeo Mata shows Teamster organizer Frank Gonza1ez his check stubs on April 25,1974, from Tud01ranch in which Teamsters deducted dues twice in one month.

Romeo Mata fights back. ..

Grape worker wins Teamster dues fig-ht

in obvious violation of minimumwage laws. On top of that theforeman took, in most cases, $24of each check-- supposedly forfood. One of the workers saidhe earned a total of $28 oneweek, which left him with $4after deductions.

The workers also said thatat ArrOWhead, they were underthe complete control and sup&'­vison of the foreman, who orderedthem to stop working and dispersewhenever he sighted U.S. BorderPatrol agents. The foreman ge­nerally knew in the morning whenthe patrols were coming and onone occasion knew a day in ad­vance, they said.

Pickets arrestedIn other strike- related inci­

dents in the Phoenix area, ninefarm workers were arrested byMaricopa County Sheriffs as theypicketed the Poswell, Bodine,Tenneco and Arrowhead ranches.

Among the arrested are a 62­year-old woman, a man over 60and two young girls under 18who were randomly selected fromthe picket line and charged withcriminal contempt for allegedlyviolating court injunctions.

Another of the arrested was ayoung boy who tried to defendhis mother after she was thrownto the ground by sheriff's de­puties. He is now charged withobstruction of justice and aggra­vated battery.

Strikers charge the arrestswere unjustified. They placedmuch of the blame for the arrestson Sheriff Major Dave Carter,who when a carload of strikerspassed him shouting "Huelga!"was heard to say, "Huelga? Thatmust be a dirty name they'recalling me!"

Slave labor

PHOENIX, Arizona -- GrowerBob Goldwater, brother of Ari­zona Sentor Barry Goldwater,smuggles Mexican "illegals" in­to his 4200 - acre Arrowheadranch and pays them between 50cents and $1 an hour.

These 'charges and others havebeen made by five "illegals" whowere working at Goldwater'sranch when over 40 farm workersbegan picketing the ranch April 22Days later, several pickets en­tered the ranch and persuadedthe five men to leave.

The five workers described toUFW representatives what is ineffect a black market in slavelabor . Several of them hadwalked to Phoenix all the wayfr om the Mexican border, a 3­day trip without food or waterother than what they found alongthe way. others were broughtin by "coyote" labor contractorsfrom a pickUp point in CasaGrande to the ranch outside ofPhoenix -- a service for whichGoldwater alledgedly pays thelabor contractors $80 per work­er.

When the illegals arrived atArrOWhead, they were given an'identification number. One of thefive workers said he was calledto a meeting by his foreman andtold that 20 ofthe numbered work­ers were needed in California.

He said the foreman then choseworkers at random to fill the"order", regardless of whetherthe men desired to go or not.

At the Goldwater ranch theillegals were used as strike­breakers and they worked 10hours a day, six days a weekin the grapes. Yet, their wagesaveraged from $30 to $60 a week,

Salinas lettuce workers bar Teantsters front fieldsTREPHONE: 424·0501

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER

corr - •.......cw••

had been replaced by new workersrecruited in Arizona.

Companieson defensive

Now, in Salinas, the companiesare preparing to fight th~ strikethey know is coming. Garcia poin­ted out that the Teamster com­panies no longer use the localfarm labor office (called "thecorral" by the worker) as a pickup point. Rather they have deviseda'method of picking up workers intwos and threes oh streetcorners,vacant lots, and so forth.

Only InterHarvest, with itsUFW contract, uses "El CorraI­on." "The other growers don'twant their workers coming intocontact with us," suggested Gar­cia. "They know what happened inCalexico-we shut them down be­cause we could talk toall the wor­kers in one place."

In a similar fashion, manycompanies such as Englund arenot using their labor camps thisyear. They have dispersed theirworkers into boarding houses,keeping them in small groups andmaking it easier to evict themshould they go on strike.

Report for wOt'"k by phone or moil by'-- _

TO FOREMAN 0 OR OFFICE 0

When these crews arrived inSalinas several weeks later, theywere told by Englund foremen tosign Teamster cards or be fired.At first, only 2 workers out oftheentire 3 crews signed, but overthe weekend the rest were forcedto sign in order to receive theirpaychecks.

That same weekend, thestrongest Chavistas were laid offand told there wasn't enoughwork. By Monday, however, they

In early April, three crews whowork under Teamster contract inthe Yuma Valley obtained a writ­ten agreement on five demandswith the Englund Co. with the helpof UFW organizer CaterinoTorres in San Luis.

NSURANCECOVERAGE] 'fJJJJ HAVE QUALIFIED FOR THE MONTH OF FOR HEALTH INSURANCE.~OU HAVE NOT QUALIFIED TO BE COVERED FOR HEALTH INSURANCE. FORMS FOR SELF.PAY·

MENT ARE AVAILALE FROM COMPANY OR UNION OFFICE.I HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF NOTICE

,.l?Je{tf-~ CJi.~1f-( =b(

Gregorio Aguirre and five other workers in his crew.were firedfrom the Hansen Ranch April 30 for refusing to join the Teamsters.Note also that Aguirre was denied medi.cal benefits.

o LEAVE OF ABSENCE TO REASONI _

NOTE: FAILURE TO REPORT FOR WORK WITHIN 3 WORKING DAYS MAY BE CONSIDERED VOLUN.TARY QUIT WITH LOSS OF BENEFITS.

] ~UNTARYQUITWITHOUTCAUSE ~ ~ I/-, 0 •

;r'&ISCHARGED FOR CAUSE ~ (/'--d IV'I'! / " "c./ U"""~.vV

Angered at mistreatment by aparticular foreman named Niko­lai, the 150 workers elected aleadership committee and stageda strike after the local Teamsteroffice refused to help them presstheir demands. Then the companywent to Torres to seek his helpin negotiating an agreement,·which included the firing of the

. foreman.Continuing fight

Most of the lettuce crews nowarriving in Salinas have alreadybeen fighting their Teamster con­tracts this year in California'sImperial Valley and Arizona'SYuma Valley. The same compan­ies have land there as well as inSalinas.

More that 8000 workers parti­cipated in a one-day GeneralStrike in Calexico called by theUFW on February 18, a workstoppage that became a five-daystrike by nearly 1000 asparagusworkers.

"Look at this," GregorioAguirre told Garcia, " the san­ganos (parasites) had us firedbecause we would not sign thecards. Six of the ten in our crewwouldn't sign, and all six werefired!"

Aguirre and the other three,Raul Ramirez Mendez, Jose G.Garcia, and Jose D.L Garcia,said they were leaving the arearather than work under the Team­sters. "We won't sign-we'reChavistas, and we don't want ourmoney to pay for the goons!"

"Every day the people come inwith these stories," Garcia re­marked as he watched the fourworkers leave. "Every day. Butyou know, the Teamsters don'teven have the courage to makepeople sign themselves, theydon't even go to the fields. Theyhave the company foremen andsupervisors do it.

"This summer, there's goingto be the biggest strike you eversaw." .

E1 Malcriado - May 29, 1974 - Page 5

SALINAS, Car-Four lettuce wor­kers strode angrily into the UFWhiring hall here on April 30 andpresented office director RobertGarcia with the small yellow slinsof paper that marked the loss oftheir jobs at Hansen Farms, alocal lettuce grower whic.h holdsa contract with the Teamsters.

Cesar Chavez addresses 1000 UFW members and supporters at May 8 Watsonville rally. He is nankedby members of the Wats~nville UFW Organizing Committee, (from left to right): Jose Rodriguez, pre­Sident; Fausto Romero; ElIas Lopez; Tomas Alejo; and Elias Fernandez. Committee members not shownin p~ot? are Inez Marinez, vice president; Asencion Mata; Bernardo Cardona; Maria Fernandez; MariaJaungUl; and Sauro Cabon

ident told the farm workers, "theboycott that we have today is big­ger and stronger and has widersupport than the one we had in1970 when we won the grape con­tracts."

Jim Gill, visiting Californiafrom the Toronto Central LaborCouncil, underscored the effec­tiveness of the boycott in Canadaand the widespread support forthe farm worker movement there.

"Brothers and sisters, hesaid, "I come from the city thatis, or was, one of the largest mar­kets of California table grapes.It is not any morel"

Cesar Chavez also stressed theimportance of the 12.5 millionmember AFL-Cro endorsementof the grape and lettuce boycott.

"Brother Meany knows that ifwe do not stop the parasites now,tomorrow they will be after otherunions. There is no other unionin the United States which daresto do the openly shameful thingthey did to come here and ro­mance the growers and then signwith them against the interests offarm workers."

Chavez recalled how thousandsof farm workers struck the Sal­inas Valley lettuce ranches in1970, forcing five companies torenounce their Teamster con­tracts and sign with the UFWOC.The Teamster contract hadpromised $1.70 an hour and a1.5Y increase each year on 28.5Ya box. while the first UFWOCcontract with InterHarvest wonworkers $2.07 an hour and 40.5Ya box.

That's why the grow.ers wantthe Teamsters," said Chavez."If those other contracts werestill ours today, they would bepaying no less than $3.50 anhour."

WATSONVILLE, Ca......Close to athousand farm workers from thisfoggy coastal farm town joinedwith UFW President Cesar Cha­vez on May 8 to rededicate theirfight against the Teamster "con­tract robbers."

The meeting was called by thenewly formed watsonville UFWOrganizing Committee, made upof 11 farm workers who aredetermined to establish not onlya Union strike office in the localarea, but a farm worker healthclinic and service center as well.

The excited throng crowdedinto the A.E. Hall auditorium tohear Chavez predict, "the strikein this area is like a bomb readyto explode."

"Do you know how you canfight them?" he asked the audi­ence. "D on't pay any more Tea m­ster dues! And when you work inthe lettuce don't do such a care­ful job, slow down. Make yourprotest effective, because the dayof victory will come sooner whenwe have the pressure inside thefields, in our communities andacross the nation."

The evening was livened by theMexican dancing of Los Mejicasfrom Santa Cruz, music by LosFronteras and Manuel Picket andNoe Montoya. Union memberJoseMontoya dedicated a corrido toCesar, and afterwards the Diazfa mily presented a check for $500from the Monterey PeninsulaSupport Committee.

Reporting on his recent speak­ing tours through Ohio, Floridaand Pennsylvania, the UFW Pres-

Bigger and strongerboycott

~

Although Teamster organizers rarely enter the fields where they havecontracts, UFW members have begun an extensive leafiet campaignurging workers not tosign with the Teamsters or pay Teamster dues.Here workers in a Maggio Co. field south of Salinas study a leafietwhich urges them to form a committee to resist the Teamsters.

"When we go into a field," commented UFW organizer RicardoVillalpando, "we have power. If the field boss throws us out or hasthe police throw us out, the workers see who'is on their side and whois against them."

1Vew UFW office

Workers launch or~anizin~ drive

Lamont Arvin

ROUTE 1. lOX 600M<fAIlAND. CA.•nso

Farm workers join with Migrant Ministry members to toor Arvin on May 6urging workers to fight Teamster raids on UFW.

TYPE QUANTITY RATE TYPE QUANTITY· RATE TYPE OUA~ITY RATE f.ARNINGS

3 . 5r.~c L~:=r:, , I I 11 t:l ~, I - I I, I , , I , I

I I , I ,I I

I , ,. , I I II I , , I I II I , , I I 1

SOC:"eC.NO. '", 'fROM TO , ,AMOU~T 'GIlOSSPAV

'47-25-1555 C4/CEI14 04114174 I 11l.1~

, -" .. Mise EllANEO S DEDUCTIONSOE5CRIPTION AMOUNT OfSCRIPTION AMOUNT FED. WIH I nC.A: I 5.0.1. I NET PAY

! , 6.7<; I ) .ll ~ ~ • t:-;1~[T FEES 1 ~:,. r: R(U'/PC 2 e:c~ VEAlI- TO· DATE ,pccI"/ec 113 ~ LI\'O r.u e:cc -no:w. .1..A. . .1. Y, ,

14.~~ t <.4<; <4f .4CL 1 --PLlA5£ Pf fAnl AND ~'I IAUJ rof.' yOUtt rl\ll.. ...,( ()J.'f~-_.-

ROBERTS' FARMS, INC.

Striker Theresa Perez, (back to camera), discusses UFW benefits withstrikebreaking worker at Roberts Farms.

Huelguistas report onSan Joaquin strikes

Page 6 - May 29. 1914 - E1 Malcriaclo

On May I, the first day of pic­keting in the Selma area, picket captainJuan Salazar was arrested and jailed forten days in what witnesses described asone of the most unprovoked, brutalpolice attacks on a UFW strike line inrecent memory. (See photo on pageone.)

Salazar had just started to test loud­speaker equipment on the picket linewhen Tulare County Deputy Sheriff Dur­ham rushed at him, .grabbed him by thethroat, and kneed him in the groin, pic­keter Elio Salvidar told El Malcriado.

Following the arrest, 50 farm work­ers picketed the Tulare County Jail toprotest the brutality.

Salazar was held for ten days whileUFW attorneys tried unsuccessfully toobtain his release on his own promiseto return for trial. Finally, bail of$2500 was paid.

Tulare County Superior Court JudgeFrederick JacobUS, who denied Sala­zar's appeal on the question, is a formerattorney who representeci the Agricul­tural workers Right to Work Committeein an attempt to throw out the newlysigned UFW contracts in Delano in 1970.

During last year's strike in the Selmaarea, more than 1000 strikers were ar­rested. Salazar was among a group ofnine strikers arrested July 21, 1973,who later charged they had been forcedto run a guantlet in Fresno County Jailwhile being beaten by sherifrs deputies.

Picketing is now under way in thefruit trees and grapes of the Fresno­Selma area. The groundwork for thestrike this year was laid by a recentseries of UFW marches and rallies inthe small farm worker towns of Sanger,parlier, Reedley, Dinuba, Orange Cove,and Selma.

Arvin and LamontMeanWhile, in Arvin and Lamont, the

strike was bolstered by a spirited May 6evening March through Arvin (photoabove right). The march began with200 people but when it reached the citypark for a rally with Cesar Chavez

there were 800 people marching andchanting, "Chavez, sil Teamsters,no!"

The farm workers were joined in themarch bv nearly 50 members of theNational Farm Workers Migrant Minis­try who came to Arvin to express theirsupport for the strikes and UFW boycotts.

The strikers charge many of theworkers being used to break the strikeare illegals, workers brought from Mex­ico without proper immigration papers.

On April 23 a young man walked outof a Roberts Farms plum orchard andexplained to the strikers that he had paid$250 to a smuggler to get to Lamont.

He gave the strikers the stub from hislast paycheck which is shown on theright. He earned $116.15 for the week'swork, until the Teamsters deducted a$15 initiation fee and $8 monthly dues.The company also deducted $29.33 forroom and board in the labor camp.

H~s net pay for the week was $55.87or $1.10 an hoiIr.

DelanoPicketing began May 8 in Delano and

a crew of eight Roberts Farms workerswalked out of the first field visitedbv the strikers. The strikers took thf'iraccordian and guitar toa second Roberts'field (photo at right) where the workersin the vines watched and laughed whilethe picketers danced to the music at theedge of the field.

This crew was being required toperform four separate jobs at oncetying the vines, hoeing, suckering andthinning.

On May 13, the first food caravan ofthe summer arrived from utah in Delano(photo at bottom right) as representa­tives . of the utah Volunteer SupportCommittee for the UFW brought $500and more than 1700 pounds of food forthe strikers.

The money and food had been raisedin a compagn that began March 1 whenutah Governor Calvin Rampton declaredthe month to be Farm Worker Aware­ness Month. Dale Dodge of the utahCommittee gave special credit to locallabor unions for the success ofthe drive.

Check stub from Roberts Farms shows how yoong illegal alien lost morethan half his pay to Teamster and company deductions.

Delano

Strikers urge Roberts Farms "Iorkers to take their time with the work.

Utah Support Committee volunteers Dale Dodge left andHarry Baker, right,. help ort mizer Guadalupe Murgui'a u~loadfood for Delano stnkers.

Contracts compared:',

UFW-Almaden vs.(

Teamster-GalloThe United Farm Workers of America AFL-CIOmet to re-negotiate the third Union con­tract with E & J GalloWinery on March 22, 1973. At this meeting the Union proposed thatthe existing contract be extended until such time that an agreement was reached or nego­tiations were broken by either side. Although this is customary procedure, the Companyrefused to extend the Agreement, but did agree to continue negotiating in good faith.

On April 18, 1973 when the contract expired the Company advised their supervisory per­sonnel to keep all United Farm Worker staff out of the Company's property. This orderwas immediately carried out against United Farm Workers representatives, and at thesame time the company ignored the fact that the Teamster organizers were entering theirproperties.

From the beginning of the negotiations the Union demanded elections (see Fresno Bee May21, 1973), but F & J Gallo would not agree. On May 21, 1973, Gallo wired a telegram toCesar Chavez, "Yoo misunderstood oor previous communication. The Teamsters do notrepresent our workers. We can continue negotiation at anytime."

Negotiations continued until June 20,1973, during all this time the Teamsters kept tryingto get to the workers with the company's blessings. The company by now was convincedthat the Teamsters were getting no where and decided to break off negotiations.

The Company negotiator gave the' Union an ultimatum. The Company would stop negotia­tions until such time that the Union agreed to three Company proposals.(1) Thirty day probationary period (during which workers could be fired without Union pro-

tection.(2) Do away with the hiring halL(3) Weaken seniority clause to a point where it would be almost useless.

Before the Union had time to discuss the Company's demands, Gallo advised the press thatthe Teamsters represented the workers.

That same night the Gallo workers met and voted to strike. From a total of 150 workers,130 walked out, and started picketing with the UFW black eagle nags.

On July 10, 1973 while the workers were picketing his vineyards Gallo and the Teamstersmet and signed their sweatheart agreement.

The following is a comparison of the United Farm Workers-Almaden Vineyards contractand the Teamsters-E & J Gallo Winery contract.

UFW-Almaden

Mechanization - Addendum

Harvesting machines will not be used aslong as Union can provide the harvest per­sonneL

A joint Health & Safety Committee should beestablished consisting of 3 employees re­presentatives selected by Union and 3com­pany representatives selected by the em­ployer.

Health & Safety - Page 7Besides the establishment of a jofnt Health& Safety Committee, the UFW contract bansthe use by the employer of economic poisonsdangerous to human life, water, soil and ve­getation.

Employer shall provide protective gar­ments, tools and equipment necessary tosafeguard the health of, or to prevent injuryto an employee's person.

The employer should also furnish pruningshears, safety glasses, gloves and over­shoes where required to perform the work.

No employee will be required to enter afield that has been treated with insecticideor herbicide sooner that the time intervalafter such treatment which has been recom­mended by the Health & Saftey Committee.

Teamster-Galloequipment, machinery methods or proces­ses and to change or discontinue existingequipment, machinery, methods or proces­ses.

The company may establish and make knownwork rules and safety rules which may car­ry penalties.

Health & Safety - Page 6The employer agrees to abide and complywith all applicable federal state laws, rulesand regulations.Employer agrees to meet with Union todis­cuss any alleged violations.

Nothing.

Workers must pay for these items.

Nothing.

United Farm Workersof America

AImaden Vineyards

Teamsters

E. & J. Gallo Winery

There shall be adequate toilet facilities, Nothing.separate for men and women. One for every35 employees.

Workers shall be provided with suitable, Nothing.cool, potable drinking water. Individual pa-per drinking cups should 'be provided.

When filling vacancies or making promo- Reduction in work force shall be based upontions transfers, demotions, reclassifica- dates of hire with the employee last hired

(continued on page 8)

E' Malcriado - May 29. 1974 - Page 7

Recognition - page 1The collective bargaining agreement~all agricultural employees employed on allagricultural fields owned, leased or rentedby the employer.

During the UFW & Gallo negotiations thecompany was opposed to granting coverageto all of its agricultural employees.

Union Security - Page 5Under this section UFW members have topay initiation fees when required by Union.In the 14-year history of the United Far mWorkers of America, no members has paidinitation fees.

Management Rights - Page 1The employer retains any and all rights andperogatives of Management it had prior tothe signing of the contract, except as speci­fically and expressly limited or modified byprovision of the Agreement.

Under the UFW agreement the workers havejob security. The employer cannot subcon­tract to the detriment of the workers.

See "Subcontracting"

See "Hiring"

See "Discharge"

Coverage - Page 1The collective bargaining agreement coversall field agricultural employees employed bythe Fmployer in its grapes and apples.

The above limits Union coverage to includeonly grape and apple crops employees. Anyother Gallo agricultural employee is exclud­ed from Union contract coverage.

Union Security - Page 2The Teamsters only exempt the Gallo work­ers from payment of initiation fees for thefirst 12 months of the 4 years agreement.

Management Rights - Page 4First paragraph is same language as in UFWAlmaden contract. It then continues on togive the Employer the following rights:

The right to hire, to determine the numberof workers, induding the number of work­ers assigned to a task or particular opera­tion; the means and accomplishment of anywork, including subcontracting; to direct, toassign work, to supervise all of the work­ers; to promote and demote, to layoff forlack of work, to suspend, dIscharge or other­wise discipline for just cause; the right todecide the nature of equipment, machinerymethods or processes used, to introduce new

Employees shall have a rest period of 15minutes in the morning and 15 minutes inthe afternoon.

Employer shall provide clean, sanitary andadequate first aid supplies.

Workers will not be required to work whento do so would endanger their health andsafety.

Hiring - Page 6Hiring hall to provide the required workersto the employer. The {Jnion furnishes theworkers according to seniority and sees toit that all other rights provided in the con­tract are protected, such as to prevent la­bor contractors from taking over bargainingunit work to guarantee that the employerpays Show-up time (4-hour guarantee) whenworkers are called to work and no work isprovided, and many other rights under thecontract.

Employer agrees to provide on-the-job­training for employees already in the bar­gaining unit needed to fill expected vacan­cies.

The Union shall assume responsibility forthe computation and accuracy of seniority.

Rest Periods - Page 16

Rest periods shall be provided at rate oflOminutes per 4 hours of work. No rest periodsfor work shifts of less than 3 1~ hours.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Employer does not have to notify any Unionofficial when work is going to begin nor whoit plans to hire to do the work.

See "SUbcontracting".

Nothing. Company is free to hire new work­ers to fill job vacancies.

Seniority - Page 6Employer is responsible for seniority. Notrequired to furnish seniority list to anyone.

Contracts compared:

UFW-Almaden vs. Teamster-Gallo(continued from page 7)

UFW-Almaden Teamster-Gallotions, layoff and recalls £<rom layoffs, pre- to be first laid off; upon recall, the lastference will be given to workers with the employee laid off will be the first recalled;greatest union seniority. provided, however. the company shall have

the right to determ1ne any employee's abili­ty to do the work directed by the company'in determining any employees to be laid offand recalled.

The .underlined above nullifies workers'seniority rights for layoffs or recalls.

UFW-Almadensex, religion, national origin, age or politi­cal beliefs. --

Appl ication of Agreement- Page 2

Teamster-Gallorace, religion, color, age, sex, creed, ornational origin.

Why was no discrimination based on politi­cal belief left out?

Wherever a vacancy occurs in a job classi­fication with higher rate then general labor,such vacancy shall be posted on the com­pany bulletin boards. The posting shall bemade at least 5 days before the vacancy isper manently filled. Employees with senior­ity desiring consideration for higher ratedjob will so indicate by signing the posting.The senior employee shall be selected forthe vacancy.

Maintenance of Standards- Page 1

The employer agrees that all conditions ofemployment relatingto wages, hours of workand general working conditions shall bemaintained at no less than the highest stan­dards in effect at the locations covered bythis agreement at the time of the signing ofthis agreement and conditions of employ­ment shall be improved wherever specificprovisions for improvement are made else­where in this agreement.

The above covers all conditions as spelledout.

Camp Hous ing - Page 9Housing on the employer's premises shallcontinue on a non-discriminatory basis andwithout favoritism; the factors of race,color, creed, religion or national originshall not be considered in the assignmentof housing.

Nothing.

The following shows how the Teamster-Gal­low contract takes away any job securityfrom seasonal workers, under their Senior­ity section.

Page 6- In the event any employee worksfor the company at least 30 days/within thepreceeding 90 calendar days, he shall ac­quire seniority.

The above mentioned 30 days is called pro­bationary period.

Page 7- It is understood that an employeeterminated during his probationary periodshall have no recoursetothegrievancepro­cedure.

This means employees can be fired withinthe first 30 days for wearing a UFW buttonor whatever the company's reason might be.

Page 7- Seniority and the employment rela­tionship shall be broken for anyone of thefollowing reasons.

Page - #6 When the employee is laid off fora period of 6 months or for a period of timeequal to his seniority, whichever is shorter.

The above means that for all practical pur­poses seasonal employees cannot have sen­iority OF job seciruty from season to season.

Maintenance of Standards- Page 14

The sum of wages and benefits (excludinghousing which is covered in the followingparagraph) that the employees are presentlyreceiving at the time of execution of thisagreement shall not be reduced. This agree­ment at a minimum would provide increasedbenefits for all employees.

The above is restricted to wages and bene­. fits and does not cover working conditions.

Regular full-time employees on the payrollof the company who were occupying housingas of September 21, 1967 shall continue tobe provided with housing for the duration ofthis agreement. Housing for new regularfull-time employees since the foregoing dateshall be provided and continued solely atthediscretion of the company.

This agreement shall be binding upon theparties hereto, their successors andassigns.

New Job Classification-Page 3

The employer shall notify the Union of its in­tended action in writing prior toinstallinganew job classification and new rate.

If Union does not agree with the new rate,the qispute can go to arbitration.

Subcontracting - Page 3The employer shoud not subcontract to thedetriment of the Union or bargaining unitworkers by SUbcontracting work which in thepast has been customarily and nor mally per­formed by employees of the employer.

Discharge - Page 10The employer shall have the sole right todiscipline, and discharge employees for justcause provided that in the exercise of thisngnrit will not act in violation of the termsof this agreement.

_Individual performance in relation toapiecerate or incentive plan shall not be conclusiveevidenc~ for the purpose of disciplining ordischarging an employee. This provisionshall not, however, constitute any limita­tion on any of the employer's rights to dis­cipline or discharge for unsatisfactory workperformance.

No Strike or Lockout- Page 4

There shall be no strike or boycott of anykind against the employer or jts productsduring the term of this agreement,

Nothing.Gallo can get rid of Union anytime he wantsto by just selling or transfering his vine­yards, to any other legal entity includingone in which the family may have completecontrolling interest.

Nothing.

Gallo can establish a new job and set anywage rate he want, and the agreement doesnot provide the Union(workers)withanyre­course.

Subcontracting - Page 15The parties understand and agree that sub­contracting by the company is necessary amlproper.

Company can subcontract all of its work outto a .contractor, and leave the workers outin the cold.

Discharge - Page 12The company shall have the sole right todiscipline or discharge employees for justcause provided that in the exercise of thisright it will not act in violation of the termsof this agreement.

As used herein, "just cause" includesamong others, but is not limited to, drink­ing on the job, drunkness on the job theftof company property, negligence andlor de­liberate destruction of company property orequipment; violence or threat of violence orintimidation; possession, use or under theinfluence of illegal narcotics or dangerousdrugs on company premises falsifying anycompany records; chronic absenteeism andtardiness; walking off the job without per­mission of a supervisor; refusal tocomplywith working instructions; soliciting otheremployees to violate rules, regulations orwork instructions; instigating, parti~ipatingin or giving leadership to any activity pro­hibited under Section 7 (N 0 stri,ke clause).

No Strike, No Lockout- Page 5

The Union agrees that there shall be nostrikes, slowdowns job or economic action,or other interference with conduct of thecompany's business during the term of thisagreement.

Who determines what is a "slow down"?What dnes "other interference" mean?Neither the Teamsters nor Gallo can give acomplete definition, yet under the Dischargeclause workers can get fired for any vio­lation under this Section.

Neither party will discriminate against any" There shall be no discrimination in hiringemployee on the basis of race, creed, color, or in conditions of employment based upon

Page 8 - May 29, 1974 - E I Malcrfado

Discrimination - Page 2 Discrimination - Page 2-Picket Lines - Page 4

Refusal to cross a legitimate and bona fide ,Nothing.No other Union would want their members

(c ontinued on page 9)

Contracts compared:

UFW-Almaden vs. Teamster-Gallo(continued from page 8)

UFW-Almaden Teamster-Gallopicket line as defined in this Section shall not to cross a picket line, nor would they wantbe deemed a violation of this agreement. them to scab on a striking union worker.

Fringe Benefits

No employee under this agreement shall berequired to perform work that normallywould have been done by employees of an­other company that is engaged in a strike.

Workers under Gallo- Teamster contractcan get fired if they refuse to cross a pic­ket line or refuse to scab.

United Farm Workersof America

Teamsters

E. & J. Gallo Winery

Credit Union Withholding- Page 11

Almaden Vineyards

Upon proper written employee authoriza­tion, deductions as provided in such authori­zation shall be made by the employer for theFarm Workers Credit Union.

A great number of Almaden workers hayelearned to save and have saving accountswith the Credit Union.

Hours - Page 11An additional 25y per hour over the regularhourly rate for all hours worked in excessof 9 hours per day, Monday throughSaturday.

All hours worked on Sunday shall be paid atthe rate of ti me and one half.

Each farm worker shall be entitled to 1 fullday (24 hours) off without pay each payrollweek•.

Reporting and StandbyTime - Page 12

An employee who is required to report forwork and does report and is furnished nowork or less than 4 hours of work for rea­sons other than an act of God, shall be paidat least 4 hours for that day at theemployees' hourly rate of pay.

Under the above clause worker receive paywhen work is not provided.

Nothing.

Hours of Work - Page 15An additional 25y per hour over the regularhourly rate for all hours worked in excess of9 hours Monday through Saturday, and forall hours worked on Sundays.

Du~ to the critical nature of agriculture,the parties agree there is no limitation onthe daily or weekly hours, employees ar~ required to work by the company.

Call Time Provision- Page 15

All employees who are required to report towork and no work is provided shall be paida minimum of 2 hours for each call at thehourly guaranteed rate and a minimum of 4hours as herein provided for each call ifrequired to start work. This call time prO=­vision shall not apply where work coveredby this agreement is delayed or cannot becarried out because of rain, frost, drop inallowable sugar content, government con:' 'demnation of crop, machinery breakdown, orother causes beyond the control ofthe com-

~

Jury Pay - Page 9Employee receives the difference in pay be­tween his jury pay and his regUlar earningup to 9 hours per day.

Leave of Absence forFunerals - Page 10

All Employees receive 3 day leave of ab­sence with pay. I

Holidays - Page 13All employees can receive 6 paid holidaysa year.

All workers can be eligible for holiday pay.

In event employee works on holiday he shallbe paid ti me and one- half in addition to hisholiday pay.

Vacations - Page 12

Each year employees shall be eligible for avacation, with pay, provided said employeesmust have worked 1000 hoUrs in the priorcalendar year.

The 1000 hour eligibility makes many moreworkers eligible for vacation.

An employee with 1year of service qualifiesfor 2% vacation pay and 1 week of vacation.

Jury Pay - Page 18Same benefit

Funeral Pay - Page 18Same, except it only appli~s to Company'sregular fUll-time employees.

Holidays - Page 19F mployees on seniority list can receive 5paid holidays a year. -

Not all workers can be eligible for holidaypay.

For work performed on holidays employeesshall be paid their regular rate of pay forall hours worked in addition to his holidaypay.

Vacations - Page 20

The Company will grant vacation withpaytoall regular full-time employees who-haveworked 1500 hours in 12 month period.

Even though a worker works 1500 hours ina 12 month period he is not eligible if he isnot a full-time employee.

Same

Under this clause it's almost impossIble toreceive pay when work is not provided. An employee with 2 or more years ofserv­

ice qualifies for 4%vacation pay and 2 weeksof vacation.Records and Pay Periods

- Page 12The Union shall have the right to examinetime sheets, work production or other re­cords that pertain to employees' compensa­tion, in case of a dispute in pay.

Nothing. An employee with 10 or more years of serv­ice qualifies for 6% vacation pay and 3 weeksof vacation.

Medical Plan - Page 14

Same

An employee with 15 or more years of serv­ice qualifies for 6% vacation pay and 3 weeksof vacation.

Medical Plan - Page 21The Robert F. Kennedy Farm Workers Med­ical Plan is administered 100% by the plan'sstaff, including the payment ofbenents. ThiSmeans that instead of giving an insurancecompany a good percentage' of the plan'smoney for administration, the money goesinto better benefits for the workers.

Grievance Procedure- Page 14

Failure to file the grievance within 30 daysfrom the date that such grievancec~the notice of the moving ~arty shall consti­tute a waiver of said gnevance, provided,however, that a grievance on discharge shallbe filed within 5 days from the: date that itcomes to the attention ofthe Union, and fail­ure to file such a grievance within 5 daysshall constitute a waiver thereof.

Grievance and ArbitrationProcedure - Page 9

Grievance must be presented to the com­pany's supervisor in writing or by the com­pany to the Union in writing within 15 days.from the occurence or they shall be deemedwaived. Grievances on discharge shall be'filed within 5 days from the date of discharge A Kern County medical institution recordsand failure to file within, 5 days shall con- - show that Robert F. Kennedy Medical Planstitute a waiver thereof. paid for 80% of the medical costs involved.

The plan provides that the families receivethe same benefits as the Western GrowerAssurance Trust Plan 10. The above men­tioned plan is an insurance company. (Pan­American Underwriters) group insurancewhich is the one used by the WesternGrow­ers Association. Most workers are covered

. by the above.

The same medical institution's recordsshow that the private insurance companiesthat cover the Teamster workers only cov­ers 50% of the medical costs involved.

(continued on page 10)

E I Malcriado - May 29, 1974 - Page 9

Nothing.

Under this plan an employee must work 80hours in the preceeding month to be eligiblefor one month's benefit. Under this plan thefamily cannot combine the hours for eligi­bility.

Martin Luther King FarmWorkers Fund Page 17

Employer contributes 5y per hour for eachhour worked by all Fmployees covered byAgreement.

With the above language if !l worker finds,out he had a legitimate gdevance 15 daysafter its occurence he cannot do anythingabout it.

Nothing.

Under the UFW plan it's possible for a fam­l!L (father, wife and son, 18 years and un­der), of 3 working under a Union contract to

I accumulate eligibility for 9 month benefitsProcedure calls for 4 steps before sub- ;for the entire family by working 5 weeks.mitting grievance to arbitration with 9 timeimits that must be followed, and ifnorpro:-

cessed within the specified time limits thegrievances are considered waived.

Because farm workers are new in the labormovement many don't understand all of thebenefits under a. collective bargainingagreement, and the above provides the timenecessary to file a grievance.

Procedure calls for 3 steps before sub­mitting grievance to arbitration without timelimits.

A grievance committee of 5 employees shallbe established by the Union which mayparti­cipate at any steps of the grievance.

Contracts compared:

UFW-Almaden vs. Teamster-Gallo(continued from page 9)

UFW -A Imaden Teamster-GalloThis is a non-profit corporation that hasprovided funds for setting up the day carecenters, health care, health services, serv-ice centers and educatIon center for farmworkers. It is also responsible for the 64-unit farm workers' retirement village al-most completed in Delano.

UFW-AlmadenHarvest ProcedureAgreed to procedure on how to arrive atrate per ton according to yield per acre,per block.

Union representative gets a daily copy of allpounds of grapes, hours picked per gondolafor entire field crew.

Teamster-Gallo

Nothing.Without some procedure to follow workersdon't have a way of knowing the tons per acreto a field, thus accepting whatever rate thecompany gives them.

3.853.45

$2.852.903.153.253.053.053.453.453.453.4'53.653.653.65

Pruners - (includes grape vines and 2.81trees.

2.81

3.34'3.163..343.223.223.573.34

$2.76

Hourly Wage RatesField Worker

Unemployment Insurance- Page 23

Company agreed to bring all cover~d em­ployees under the State Umployment In­surance Act.

Irrigator

Tractor Driver- specialTractor Driver-regularForeman (working)ServicemanEquipment RepairmanShop MechanicGrafting & Budding

Hourly Wage RatesGeneral LaborStaking & StaplingPruning- handPruning- mechanicalIrrigatorBird ControlEquipment Operator(Tractor Driver)Crew LeaderFrost ProtectionMechanic & ServicemanEquipment Maintenance ManTruck DriverBuildingMaintenance Man" A"Maintenance Man "B"

Unemployment InsuranceUnion and workers negotiating contract be­lieve that for the benefit derived out of Un­employment Insurance compared with themoney contributed, it was not worth fightingfor, and not worth giving up other benefitsthat were negotiated. .

Since very few agricultural employers arecovered by Unemployment Insurance veryfew farm workers would ever accrue thenecessary amount in wages for a quarter toqualify.

It is also a fact that the California StateLegislature in the past 2 years has passedlegislation covering farm workers underthe law, only to have Governor Reagan vetothe bills both times.

We are sure that in 1975 Unemployment In­surance covering farm workers will becomethe state law. Governor Reagan will not bearound to veto it again.

Nothing.

Fund is also new and has no history. Butwe do know that it's Teamster policy to havean insurance company administer their be­nefit programs, thus making the insurancecompany richer and giVing less tothe work­ers.

Example: The Western Conference ofTeam­sters existing Pension Plan (farm workersare not included under this plan) is adm\n­istered by Prudential.

Grape Picking Piece Rates

In the Gallo operation the tractor driversdrive a short distance jumps off the tractor,runs and picks a pan of grapes~ runs backand jumps on the tractor, drives another

.short distance and repeats procedure all daylong. He is included with the gondola pickingcrew and get paid from the crew's pickingwages.

Pension Fund - Page 22

All workers get an 8 hour Sunday (usuallya non- work day) paid holiday which they do­nate to Union's Citizenship ParticipationCommittee to be used for political educa­tion.

Juan de la Cruz FarmWorkers Pens ionFund-Page 17

Citizenship Participation Day- Page 16

This fund is new and is being organized tobe administered similar~ly to the medicalplan, where the workers will benefit fromthe funds (workers will administer the plan)and not the insurance companies.

It's hard to compare rates with so manydif­ferent varieties of grapes, but sliding scalerates are about the same with the exceptionthat the tractor driver for each gondolacrews, partly for safety purposes, justdrives, does not pick, and gets paid the reg­ular tractor driver's hourly wage rate. ThiSmeans one less worker to divide the dailywages and means more money per worker.

_Grape Picking Piece Rates

"The day we won the,Watsonville strike.,"

HOne benefit of ournew contract is thatwe who are workinghere had the oppor­tunity to choose theforeman that wewanted, and we couldnever do that before.Before we had to ac­cept the foremanthat the company putover us, I ike it ornot. Now, since itis our decision, weknow that he wi II notdrive us so hard,wi IIbe a responsable per­son, and since he hasworked alongside ushe knows what it isto be ti red:"

Yolanda Prado

ViCtory(cont'd. from page 1)

Almaden worker Carlos Ruizex­plained, "We began to ask themwhy didn't Masuka just raisetheir wages instead of using themoney to pay security guards.Then some began to come out,and then all 65 of them came out,with us applauding and embracingthem as they left to take upour nag!"

By the next day, Masuka gaveup. He asked the company tosign with the UFW, but insteadAmerican Foods sold the cropto Pik'd Rite, which had alreadycontracted to ship them to mar­ket. Because of the "SuccessorClause" in the UFW- Pik'd Ritecontract, all the strikers wereautomatically brought into theUnion they had fought for.

"As soon as workers else­where in the valley find out wewon this contract here in Wat­sonVille," predicted RobertoGarcia, "a contract that is payinghigher than anyWhere tllse, peopleare going to start making theirown dema.nds, start organizinglike the workers at American did.

"I think the workers are readyfor a big strike. All it will takeis a little push, and the growersare doing the pushing."

Committee members who pledge to continue the fight for better working and living conditions with UFWorganizer Robert Garcia (left) are (from left to right): Yolanda Prado; Armando Rosales, president;Manuel Zamora, Gilberto Fernandez; Antonio Alvarez; and Filiberto Escobar, as well as two uniden­tified crew workers.

Page 10 - May 29, 1974 - E I Malcriado

Follow-up promised

Farm labor vehicles. fail CHP inspections

spection, the second bus had topush the first one in order tostart it.

Afterwards,. Contreras said, hesent a letter to the Commission­er of the CHP recommendingagainst future voluntary inspec­tions because they were a wasteof time. The types of inspectionsbring "very poor results,'· theletter concluded.

"I'll be honest with you, itwas a disaster," said Gabriel'Contreras, now head ofthe CHP'sMotor Carrier Saf@ty Divison forthe state. At that time, he wascommand@r of Zon@ 4. "It was abig project, and we put a lot ofeffort into pUbliciZing and or­ganiZing it. But it was pretty dis­appointing because no one showedup."

CAlly one previous voluntary in­spection campaign has been con­ducted in the San Joaquin Valley,according to Hayes and other CHPofficials, in the spring of i969.

~~~~~~~~

t Coachelita Market ,

tGrOCeries- Soft Drinks- Beer,Wine. ,

f53079 Hwy. Coachelllol Ca. ,92236 ,

t~~::.n~U.:'-~t::I~jr~~~~~~~,

t AVILA S MARKET t, Pit Bar-B-Que Every Sunday

, Groceries. ,Beer. Wine. t, 52-717 Harrison Blvd: t~v:: ~::C~l~~9~t

431 Abbott St.Phone 422-5123

Salinas, Ca. 93901

(40!3-722-6700)

BINGO SUPER MARKET

,

GROCERIES ~~ -MEAT>-BffH- .

, ... . • WISE A:'oiO SUSDRlfS 1 ..." •." I. 9-"5 W~TERf\' ST,_

SQfOAD. C.-\L1f.• PHmlr 6';'8-2689

In Visalia, acting CHP postcommander Lt. M. G. Russell wasannoyed at the turnout in his areaon April 16. "We spent sixteenman hours to inspect two laborcontractor trucks," he told EIMalcriado, "to say nothin~ oftheeffort to publicize it."

In Bakersfield 14 vehicles fail­ed to pass inspection April 18,inclUding thr@@ bus@s from Rob­@rts Farms. Most of th@ v@­hicles at this inspection, how­ever, were pick-up trucks withcamper tops. These, according toHarold Hayes, head of the CHP'sMotor Carrier Safety Division forZone 4, are built in such a waythat they cannot possibly pass theinspection on such matters asseating room and exits.

Two buses at the Bakersfieldinspection belonged to contractorOscar Dean. Following the in-

Pedro Sanchez Gas Stationiii Mechanic 1ii&_ Courtesy Promptnes·s _

175 '·Iain St. ..Watsonville. Ca

ARTICHOKE INNR..-.r_ and BarA goocf prce tID eat

MEDINA'S EXXON

SPECIALIZING INBRAKES SHOCKS

&TUNE UPS

Newly remadeled -- now openCJI!1~r: "lcan'U :-'. ~,·lncnez

II~ Drive. WatIOrWme. Collfol1lio 724-

'49 Main St.

~atsoJJville,

La Cabana

Forty-fiv@ San Joaquin Valley farm labor vehicles such .s this bus being inspected by Bakersfi@ld CHPofficials failed to meet state safety standards thts spring.

Cal Hornia

GONSALES. BARBER SHOP

5241 Er Camino Real. Greenfield. Cal if. 93927

Phone - 674-2481

Pro. - Cosme Gonsales

rectly, the windows again werenot the right size, and the rearentrances were not prq:>erlyguarded. The master brake cy­linder was almost inq:>erative,the exhaust system did not havea proper outlet" the tail lightswere dim and one brake lightdidn·t work, and only one wind­shield wiper .worked.

"Like everything else on thefarm iPs worn out," said one ofthe drivers.

The CHP inspectors measuredthe seats in the trucks and de­termined the prq:>er capacity forone truck, to be 52; for the other,65.

The other driver laughed."Sometimes we used to put 80in this one," he said, "and 90in the other one when we had to."They ought to get new ones, butyou know. • ." He shrugged.

rRAUL~GROCERyl'.Groceries - Soft Drinks - Beer ttWine. Tel. 875 - 6123 t

Mr. & Mrs. Raul Lozada ,, Viva La Causa ,

• &1223 J. St. Sanger, Ca. 93657 j

~;;;;;;;~;;;;;;t~;;;;;;;';;;;;;~ ~~:au:-----'Ybarra Sunland Service Texas Tavern Real Colima

t 74 Porter urive94 Academy - Sanger. Ca. 93657 Beer, Mix Drinks, & Imported watsonvilleLubes. Tune Ups, & Major repairs 1127 7th St. Sanger, Ca. 93657 724-0080

(209) 875- 6112 All work guaranteedt (209) 875-9910 Viva La Causa Authentic cookinq.. from the state ofOwner: Estanislao B. Ybarra , The best ~lace in town to be lD Col ima

Viva el Boycott 'Let s get it on M......l Cwro v:. owner

ManagerPhilip Sanchez

Co. ManagerLuis Gonzalez

au [..ALISALSAUNAS. CALIF. 93901

Mon.-Fri. 12 to 5Saturday II to 3

PR(). - FELIX C. SASCHEZPhorw> iSS-SOlS .

Vivo La Causa

1228 F. StreetPhone: 446 -5133Sacramento, Ca.

95814

'Worn-out' trucksAt the inspection in Mendota on

April 25, seven buses and twotrucks failed to pass the inspec­tions.

"You know," said ayoungCHPmechanic, "Cesar Chavez isreally pushing hard to have thesethings inspected annually. I'd liketo see it, myself. These buses area priority now - after an acci­dent they always go hard on it."

The two trucks at Mendota be­longed to Levy & Zentner, a localmelon company. There were ac­tually flatbed trucks with special­ly-built wooden enclosures fittedover the bed withbenches install­ed inside.

The first truck failed to meetthe requirement for window size,and the door opening in the rearand the aisles between thebenches were too narrow. Also,the fire extinguisher and the firstaid kit were inadequate. Therewas no heater, defroster, or fanin the driver's cab or the pas­senger compartment. The brakesneeded adjustment. and a looseking pin made the front wheelwobbley.

In the second trUCk, the emer­gency exits were not labelled cor-

LA RAZA BOOKSTORE

CASA MEXICO~Record Shop ~

The latest hits .in45's & LP's

Large selection of IoAcxicon curiosand cards for all occasions

newspapers. books. magazinesAll in Spanish

the campaign. "In general wehave seen a lot of mechanicalproblems with these vehicles,"he told El Malcriado, "We havehad a number of mechanicallycaused accidents and we want thebuses to be in good shape be­fore the season starts.

"We do wish, though, that wecould get better coq:>eration fromthe people who own them," hesaid. "The workers are almost atthe mercy of the people whotransport them."

OVAL DRUG a919 N. Court St.Visalio.. Calif. 93217

Ph. 732- 8696

LICORERIA TURF

""" ' "",100 EAST 5th STREET

OXNARO. CALIFORNIA 98030

Abierto Diorio6 A:r.A: - 2 A:r.A:

W.l.tSOllV ill e, Ca

CrocerlesMexican produt;tsNwspapers .and..gazines in Spanisll

If.., ...._ c r._

120 riain SL

* 6 All -·2 PM

• (408) 724-8992

Blythe massacre citedCHP officials and mechanics

alike at several of the inspec­tions listed the furor caused bythe Blythe labor contractor busmassacre of January 15 as themajor impetus behind the inspec­tion campaign.

Although the CHP maintain thatmechanical defects in the bus didnot cause the crash which killed19 lettuce workers, the massacrebrought national attention to thepoor condition of farm labor ve­hicles.

According to Lt. Hanna, how­ever, the Blythe massacre wasnot the only factor in initiating

Brakes. Shocks. Tune-Ups

EaMiranda's Texaco

PAUL'S BIG D.895 Front St.

SoledaU. Cal. 93930

ri SHELL GAS- :>A IR Y PRODUC TS

COLD BEER

0131 AI~"·lltSf.

Pltf'106oUZ·:i123Sa1inl~. (a!lf. ~3~1

La FIOf' Del Volle100 union ~t.,

1I«'leP.,».~tsol\YI I Ie • .cos I •

Liquors & Grocery' Store

==="'== G U· TIE R R t.Z· '======.

* Beer and Tequila Importee' From·Mexico

• ~or YoJr Parties

Mendota.. Ca. - The CaliforniaHighway Patrol reports that the45 farm labor vehicles inspectedduring a recent safety campaigndo not comply with state safetyregulations.

The 45 buses and trucks werethe only farm labor vehicles outof an estimated 500 in theSanJ oa­quin Valley which appeared at a

. series of' voluntary inspectionsconducted by the CHP in Apriland Mayas part of an effort toimprove transportation safety forfarm workers.

(Inspection of these vehiclesis not required by law, a fact thatthe head of the CHP Motor Car­rier Safety Division recently at­tributed to the political power oflarge growers.)

Over 150 gl O~ti'S and laborcontractors, who own buses andtrucks in the Valley were notifiedof the inspections and were toldthat no citations would be issuedfor safety violations, accordingto Lt. Hanna, Commander of theCHP Zone 4 which includes theSan Joaquin Valley.

E I Malcriado - May 29, 1974 - Page II

Report on Cesar's Florida speaking tour

Farm workers in Avon Park, Florida raise their hands to say they want to be Union members, or are, already UFW members. Photo: B. J. Atchul.

Nancy Stinnett, Anna Hunt,John Brennan 0 f the RetailClerks and Roger LaWarre ofthe Un{ted Church of Christ, whosaw the beatings in Coachellalast year, did a lot of work toorganize the thing and they dida great job.

Then Cesar addressed a strongrally with about 700 people, most­ly steelworkers~ in Van BittnerHall in Bethlehem. At lunch wehad a Mexican meal with the localChicano community, it was terri­nic. Then it was back to Cali­fornia.

Recruiting inLos Angeles

On Thursday the 2nd, we hada big recruitment rally at SanFernando Valley College and an­other one with 400 teachers fromEast Los Angeles and Watts atWilson High School, to get peopleworking with us in that area.

Afterwards, we had dinnerat the boycott house with thestaff and the Gallo workers whoare there and some of the re­cruits who are going-to be stud­ying how to organize with FredRoss.

After that we met with some ofthe clergy who are really helpingus a lot with recruiting out at theUniversity of Southern Ca­lifornia.

The next day Cesar spoke toabout 600 seminarians at FullerTheological Seminary in Pasa­dena and then to 600 more stu­dents at Claremont College. Thatnight we went down to La Habrafor an exciting rally of about800 people in a tiny little church.There were some farm workersthere from a nearby nursery whoare really working hard on theboycott. .

At ten that night we went totheconvention of the western Synodof Lutherans, and it was reallylate and everyone was exhaustedbut they wanted to hear Cesar sohe spoke about our optimismfor the' coming months.

After that we cam home, reallytired, but strengthened to haveseen all the support that thefarm workers have in so manydifferent places.

We had a good lunch after tha.twith about 100 labor leaders,who rea 11 y enjoyed meetingCesar, and then a potluck dinnerwith a couple of hundred activesupporters.

That night there was a rallywith about 1200 people at theFist Unitarian Church. Therewere people from all walks oflife and you could really seehow far the boycott has reachedinto different communities.Harry Boyer, the president ofthe Pennsylvania AFL-CIO gaveus $1000 and Wendell Young ofthe Retail Clerks Local #1357expressed his full support forour struggle. Dorothy Steffinsof the WILPF gave a good talkalso, telling the people that thisyear's grapes taste like acid.

There were about 40 PuertoRican farm workers in the crowdwho wanted to meet with us and af­terwards they told us how badthings are there with the piece­rate system, where sometimesthey make $2.50 for a ten-hourday. They help picket there onthe boycott and they really wantedto help us in hopes that the Unionwill reach them someday.

On Wednesday May 1 we wentout to the Lehigh Valley wherethere're a lot of steel workersand other workers who supportus. We had a labor-clergybreak­fast t hat people said broughttogether groups that had never:been together before in that area.

The next day we left for Phil­adelphia and that night we hada mass with Father Jim Ryanand the staff at the boycott house.The next day we started off with afJ u g e -clergy breakfast at (t·leAmalgamated Clothing WorkersHall and all the heads of thechurches and synagogues werethere and I don't think the churchsupport for the boycott could getany better.

Then we had a press conferencewith the Philadelphia Federationof Teachers and C h a r 1i e Fer­guson of the Delaware CountyCentral Labor Council. Ed Too­hey of the Philadelphia CentralLabor Council also spoke.

port us all the way. A lot of themwere old union people and w.e sataround and sang "Solidarity For-ever." ,

That afternoon we wen t to afiesta in Miami and it was oneof the biggest things we'd everseen. They expected about 800or 1000 people but more than6000 people came to the Carroll­ton School for Girls. It was likea carnival with booths and gamesand a lot of fooo and every kindof music you can imagine.

Cesar spoke to the people alittle, and then a choir of farmworker children from the laborcamps in South Dade and Red­lands sang some songs. It wasbeautiful.

Later that night we met withMack and Diana Lyons, Jerry andJuanita Brown, Juanita's motherMillie Cowan, Jerry Kaye andabout 100 other people who or­ganized the fiesta and they wereso happy they were hugging eachother and crying.

Cesar Chavez speaking to the Florida members of the United FarmsWorkers of America in Cenon Park April 27.

'Who's who in Florida'

the Coca-Cola/Minute Maid con­tract. As we flew in we sawhundreds of Black and Chicanoand Puerto Rican and white farmworkers all gathered there withthe flags and it was very excit­ing. We had a car caravan throughtown and then Cesar spoke toa rally with 500 workers.

The best thing that happenedthere besides the spirit of theworkers was the Highlands Com­munity Choir, a fantastic groupof farm workers who sing onstreetcorners eve r y Sundaymorning. When they started sing­ing we knew it was going to bea great meeting.

The worker who ran the rallywas Calvin Carter, one of theCoke workers , who was justlike a preacher, telling the work­ers that they had to fight forthe contracts for the Californiafarm workers so the Union couldget busy in Florida.

From there we went right toMiami where Cesar had a pressconference with the Latino press;a lot of Cuban press people werethere and they were friendly.Monsignor John Me Mahon reada statement fro m ArchbishopColeman Carroll in support ofthe boycott.

Farm worker rally

In late April UFW presidentCes:u Chavez traveled to Flo­rid a, eastern Pennsylvania,and Los Angeles. The follow­is the account of a staff mem­ber who accompanied Chavez.

The next morning We went toAvon Park where the Union has

We left La Paz at 6 a.m.on the 24th of April and endedup in Gainsville, Florida for thenight, where we stayed with Samand Lydia Trickey, who do tre­mendous work for us there.

The next morning Cesar metsome press people and then hada big rally with about 3,000students at the University ofFlorida the r e in Gainesville.They said they couldn't remem­ber when there has been a biggerrally there.

The students were enthusiasticand wanted to know how they couldhelp. Cesar told thern about get­ting Gallo out of the student com­munity. There were about 50students who organized the wholething and they really workedhard.

That afternoon we had a recep­tion with about 80 people at thehome of our good friends, Glennand Joann Dixon. Six or eightof the people there wanted to jointhe struggle full-time.Then we flew really fast over

Tallahasee and there Cesar hada friendly meeting withGovernorAskew and his family and talkedwith him about the problems thatfar m workers face. He was veryreceptive to what Cesar had tosay.

Then we met with a group oflegislators and their aides. Oneof them said the Farm Bureau waskeeping tabs on who met with us.That night Cesar had a tre­mendous rally in Tallahasee atthe First Presbyterian Churchwith about 600 people.

Gallo distributorescapes

After that we went to a re­ception with about 100 peopleat the house of Jim and LillianShaw, where there was a Gallodistributor talking against theboycott, but he escaped beforewe had a chance to talk to hi m.

The next morning on the 26thwe flew to Jacksonville where wehad an ecumencial b run c h ar­ranged by Rev. Gene Parks at theSnyder Methodist Church, follow­ed by a labor lunch with ourgood friend Jim Deaton of theTransit Workers Union. He ispresident of the Central LaborCouncil there. They spoke to thepress, then we left for Tampa,where we had a rally at the Uni­versity of South Florida.

Those 2500 students and com­munity people were one of themost spontaneous and excitingcrowds we've ever seen. Thecommittee there was just fan­tastic.

Then in Sf. Petersburg acrossthe bay we had a church serviceat Sf. Luke's Methodist wherethere was a lot of spirit and agood group of workers from theTransit Union who had just wona contract the day before with thehelp of some of our people on thepicket line.

That afternoon we had a re­ception at the house of our goodfriend Sandy D'Allemberte, andit was just amaZing. Anybodywho was anybody was there, andit was a sign of how far theboycott has come because sixmonths ago we couldn't havebrought all those people together.

We heard later that the FarmBureau man in Tallahassee sawthe list of sponsors and said,"Man, this is a list of who'swho in Florida!"

The next morning we went toPace Catholic High School andbroke a fast with about 100 stu­dents and Father Frank O'Lough­lin. Then Cesar met with a groupof supporters from West PalmBeach, about 100 people who sup-

Page 12 - May 29, 1974 - E1 Malcriado

Farm Worker W eel~ rallies boycott support in churches

Ruth Gilbert, President of the Natfooal Farm Worker Ministry, greets farm workers during Arvinrally at the cooclusion of National Farm Worker Week.

A march through a Chicano barrio in Chicago by 1000 determined UFW supporters highlighted NationalFarm Wor~er Week. IllinGis State's Governor Walker proclaimed April 2a..May 4 Farm Worker Weekthroughout the state.

Ohio

More than 4,400 Farm WorkerWeek posters were distributedthroughout the state, Sr. Kathyreported, some in library dis­plays.

Mayor Theodore Berry ofCin­cinnati and the Dayton City Coun­cil proclaimed Farm WorkerWeek in their respective cities.

Medina reports that many peo­ple are telling UFW volunteers,"I heard about the boycott inchurch."

UFW Executive Board memberFliseo Medina estimated that1000 churches in Ohioparticipat­ed in Farm Worker Week activi­ties. He reported that the OhioCouncil of Churches, the OhioCatholic Conference, and "justabout every council of churches"in the maj or cities in the stateendorsed the week.

Each of Ohio's six Catholicbishops sent pastoral letters tohis di ocese. The letter to the dio­cese of Youngstown was readfrom the pulpit of every Catho­lic church in the city, and 75,000copies of the Christopher NewsNotes issue on the boyc.ott weredistributed there alone. In Cleve­land, 46,000 copies of the NFWMchurch bulletin insert were dis­tributed.

state, according toSr. Kathy Har­dy of the New Jersey NFWM.Sheestimated that forty churchesparticipated.

Among the most active of anumber of schools who held FarmWorker Week programs, shesaid, was St. Aloysius Academy,a high school in Jersey City. Aspeaker and a film there werefollowed the next day by a liturgyand a fast. The students donatedthe money they saved on not buy­ing food to the UFW.

400 people attended a rally atthe New Brunswick campus ofRutgers University. The mainspeakers were UFW ExecutiveBoard member Richard Chavez,New Jersey AFL-CIOvice-pres­ident Richard LynCh, Rev. PaulStag, excutive secretary of theNew Jersey council of Churches,state Assemblyman John Simer,and representatives of the UAW,the WE, and the Hospital Work-ers Local 1199. '

After the rally, about 150 peo­ple picketed an East Brunswicksuper market.

by UFW first Vice President Do­lores Huerta, UFW Second VicePresident Phillip Vera Cruz andthe Rev. Wayne C. Hartmire, dir­ector of the National Farm Work­er Ministry.

Also, Farm Worker Week inSeattle was endorsed by theChurch Council of GreaterSeattle, the Olympia Diocese ofthe F.piscopal Church and theUnited Church of Christ. TheSeattle boycott is directed by DaleVan Pelt.

New JerseyThe New Jersey Committee to

Support the Farm Workers heldsix ecumenical services in the

"People picked up on the ideaand ran with it," said Rev. WayneC. Hartmire in describing thesuccess of National Farm Work­er Week, April 28- May 4. "Itwent far beyond our expecta­tions."

Designed as a national obser­vance of the farm workers' strug­gle by religious groups and insti­tutions, the week involved thou­sands of people in celebrationslarge and small, said Hartmire,director of the National FarmWorker Ministry (NFWM) whichsponsored the program.

The major events of FarmWorker Week were planned wellin advance. but Hartmire andother organizers say manychurches, convents. schools. andindividual clergy developed serv­ices on their own. ,

While Farm Worker Week sup­port was strong across the na­tion, reports from Texas, NewJersey, and Ohio best illustratethe variety of the week's activi­ties, says the Boycott Informa­tion Office at La Paz.

Seattle

SEATTLE, Wash. -The SeattleDivision of Lucky's stores, with16 super markets, agreed to stopselling scab grapes. The boycottVictory, the first of its size sinceGeorge Meany announced theAFL-CIO's, endorsement of thegrape and lettuce boycott, cameduring Farm Worker Week.

There were no picket lines out­side the stores, but the UFW hasreceived a great deal of publicityin Seattle recently, especiallywith organiZing visits tothe state

Primary boycott victory

TexasHundreds of churches through­

out the state held services focus­ing on the farm workers' strug­gle, reports Texas boycott direc­tor Bill Chandler.

The Catholic Bishops of Texasand the Texas Conference ofChurches were among the strong­est supporters of the activities,and many Southern Baptistschurches wre involved throughthe Christian Mission Office ofthe Texas Baptist Convention.

The Bishops of San Antonio,..Houston, Austin, and Fort Worthsent pastoral letters and suggest­ed liturgies for farm workerservices to their churches, .andthe Episcopal and Presbyterianseminaries in Austin held a jointconvocation at the outset of theweek.

On May 1, Msgr. George Hig­gins, farm labor advisor to theNational Conference of CatholicBishops led an ecumenical serv­ice in San Antonio. The servicewas followed by a slide show aboutlast summer's grape strike anda discussion in whichSan AntonioBishop Harris urged support forthe boycott of grapes and lettuce.

A "jamaica" or carnival at aCatholic church in Fort Worthraised about $1300 for the UFW,

"• •just come from meeting with theCoca-Cola officials about theircontract. There were blackpeople and white people and Chi­canos among those workers.

"In some sections of the coun­try, most of the migrant workersare black, they come from Arkan­sas and Florida. On Long Islandmost of the people picking pota­toes are black.

"I think some ofthe people whohave moved to the cities don'tremember that there are thou­sands of our brothrs and sistersstill working on the farms in slavelabor. As the struggle unfolds, Ipray for the day when the farmworkers will be able to organizethe migrants in other parts of thecountry."

Ms. Gilbert, an activ.e leaderof the United Methodist Women inNew York, has worked with theMigrant Ministry for three years."I grew up in Texas." she toldFl Malcriado after the rally,"without knowing that manypeople who had been born therewere disenfranchised. We blackswere the newcomers, not them.

"And I had thought that the onlypeople who were struggling werePIe black people, but when I hadan opportunity to grow and be­come part of this movement tosupport the farm workers, I glad­ly took the chance.

"There's something that a lotof people don't realize. somethlng­I saw when I was in Florida, andI saw the farm workers who had

Ruth Gilbert, NFWM president:

"I pray for the day.ARVIN, Ca,-"Brothers and sis­ters, I bring you greetings fromthe National Farm Worker Min­istry." NFWM president RuthGilbert told 800 farm workers atan evening strike rally hereMay 6.

Speaking in behalf of more than50 members of the Migrant Min­istry who had participated in themarch and hundreds more aroundthe country, Ms. Gilbert said,"It is by the grace of God thatworkers like yourselves here inCalifornia. in Latin America.Africa, and even in Europe haverealized that God has given us onegood gift, our lives. And so weare taking the freedom to stopothers from exploiting us. Viva laHuelgal"

E 1Malcriado - May 29, 1974 - Page 13

HNinos campesinos" perform for the

Cinco de Mayo Celebration in Delano,

home of the first struggles of the

National Farm Workers Association

(now UFW). For the first time in

recent memory farm workers held

thei r own celebration, in opposition

to the usual activities sponsored by

the Delano Chamber of Commerce.

Over 400 persons shared food and fun

and called the day a great success.

Cinco de Mayo in Coachella with striker Celestino Chavez International Worker Day

, ,Cesar Chavez

Thanks - Tehachapi boycott

darity with the internationalworking class. The First of Mayis one of the great contributionsmade by the working men andwomen of the U.S. to the strug­gles of workers in the entireworld. It is not surprising thatthe growers and bosses here tryto bury the First of May just asthey buried hundreds of workerswhen it began.

E. CamachoPresidentCentro CulturalDelano, Ca.

to read at home. At that time wecould only sympathize, but nowthat we are here· for a temporarystay we gladly use the opportunityto send a check to support yourcause.N. T. de OudeFairfield, Ohio

Fraternally,Phil MurryLocal 2332Tehachapi Federation of Teach­ersAFT AFL-CIO

bed, and all seems to be goingwell. We shall keep the pressureon. It has been an honor for meto help the cause in this smallway. I only hope that I will notfail you, and that the boycott willbe a continued success. Keep upthe good work. Viva la Causa.

Dear Sirs,Today, at Findlay Market in

Fairfield, Ohio we were givenyour handout asking for help.Even though we arrived only re­cently in the U.S.A. we knew aboutyour struggle from articles inVrij Nederland, a weekly we used

Boycott from Netherland

"There will be a time when oursilence will be more powerfulthan the voices you strangletoday."

These were the last words ofAugust Spies, November 11, 1887,

'as the hangman's noose was tight­ened around his neck. He wasgoing to be assassinated alongwith three of his class brothersby the ruling class of the U.s. forhaving helped organize workersin Chicago and the rest of thecountry in fighting for the 8 hourwork day.

It was from this struggle that'was born the expression of soli-

Fl MalcriadoUFW AFL-CIOBox 62Keene, California 93531

Dear Brothers and Sisters,I am glad to report that I am

healed up enough from my backproblems to drop you a sincerenote of thanks for your concernwhile I was down. I appreciatenot only the thought, but the paper,which did much to keep me in­formed, I have been keeping tabson the Tehachapi boycott from my

May, 1862, defeating the f·renchat the~forts of Loreto and Guada-lupe on the outskirts of the cityof Puebla.

"And that shows that in unity'there is strength," CelestinoChavez concluded. "Just as apoor and scantily equipped armydefeated the most powerful armyin the world, we the campesinosare going to defeat the Teamsterswith their millions of dollars.

"We are going to run them outof the fields, because we stillhave our dignity, and they haveno pride at all."

full of dOUbts, because they knewthe French at that time had thebest army in all of Europe, withmore arms and money.

"Then Benito Juarez showedthem that power did not lie inforce or money, but in the unityof the majority. We the Mexicanpeople, said Don Benito, aregreater in numbers and moreunited, because we fight for acause, for our families and forour nation. Only together willwe defeat the enemy.

I, And that is how our GeneralIgnacio Zaragoza put an end to theFrench domination. Qll the 5th of

"Sometimes I think that youngpeople don't know how to hold onlike the older ones like me. Herewe are struggling, battling in thestrike, but we will not let up untilwe win."

With these words, grey- hairedCoachella striker Celestino Cha­vez recalled another chapter inhistory when poor farm workersfought against their oppressors.

"I have a book in my house ofDon Benito Juarez, of when the'French invaded. and dominatedMexico. Juarez said that they hadto rid themselves of that plague.

"But the Mexican troops werE:!

Benito Juarez

-Page 14 - May 29, 1974 - E I Malcriado

Written in CoachellaApril 9, 1974

Cesar Chavez, you are hailedtoday

throughout the entire nation,with the boycott and the strikeyou will be our own champion.

The cry of "Viva la Huelga"for the gringo is admiration,but for the grower it's a head-

acheand a cause for consternation.

Corrido de la Causa

The weapons that you fight withare justice and with reason,like that illustrious Lincoln,cornerstone of our nation~

Strong blood of Mexican and Aztecrun proudly through your veins,today you fight for the poor man,you'll tear part his chains.

God lights the wayand protects our advances and

retreats,

we will end this human sUffering,we won't accept defeats.

The victory will be oursin the boycott and the fields,the gringo will always rememberthat the farm worker never

yields.

The author of these versesis a Union member to the letter.Viva la huelga y la Causa, .to' the boycott, all the better.J.F.RuizJ erecuaro, Guanajuat€I, Mexico

Margarita Munoz. In MemoriumWith deepest regret we inform

our readers that one of our mostdevoted Union supporters andloyal distributors of EI Malcria­do in the Somerton, Yuma andSan Luis , Arizona area passedaway May 6. She was 47.

We will never forget MargaritaMunoz as she told her manyfriends of the story of ourstruggle and what they could tohelp our Cause.

May she rest in peace!Sincerely yours,

Ramon and Ernestina ChavezN.F.W.S.C. Inc. DirectorSan Luis, Arizona

~_K~9. Farlll Worker Alert:~~/

\·"L'C.,·ft Disability for Stril{ers

What is ownership?

program. Farm workers in Cali­fornia have this coverage becauseof the persistent effort of UFWVice President Dolores Huertabefore the California State Leg­islature to have farm workers in­cluded.

PUblished every two weeks as the- Official voice of the

UNITED FARM WORKERS'AFL-Cra

La Paz. P.O. Box 62Keene. California 93531

ulk order of 50 prepaid only $5.0Please specify

Spanish or English edition

yoEL MALeR/ADO

Your union fought for this bene­fit for farm workers. It's yourmoney. Whenever you are unableto work because of sickness orinjury, wherever you are, im­mediately file a claim for thedisability benefits Which are yourright.

as conduits, the increasing ofthe value of land on accountingrecords in order to obtain lar­ger loans, the use of a pieceof land several times concurrent­ly to obtain loans, the keepingof two sets of books to obscureillegal trnsactions, and thefailure to record certain trans­actions in order to hide them.

Although it seems that theproblem is overWhelmingly com­plex, perhaps the real questionat stake is very simple. Doesownership of land mean passingpaper . around in an air­con itioned office, or does itmean working on the land itself?

through a payroll withholding andsent to the State Disability In­surance Fund. There are nomatching dollars from the em­ployer or government.

An employer can deduct nomore than $85 from your pay inone year for CaliforniaState Dis­ability Insurance. If you workedfor 2 or more employers and,thereby, had more than ~85 de­ducted, you may daim a refundof the overpayment on your Cal­ifornia Income Tax return.

Only 5 states in the UnitedStates have a disability insurance

Field Office nearest you, or fromyour doctor or the hospital inwhich you are a patient. You don'thave to pick it up. You can getone by phone or letter.

If you have left California writefor a claim form to:Employment Development De-

partment .Disability Insurance benefitsPost Office Box 711Sacramento] California 95803

This is YOUR money. Whileyou work, 1% of your wages isdeducted 'by your employer

The grand jury in San Diegois investigating several othertypes of deals between Robertsand Smith, according to thesource, such as the creation ofdummy corporations to act

Delano grower(cont'd. from page 2)

either. 'But Smith was able toreport a $4 million profit to thewestgate stockholders, insteadof the actual $3.5 million loss,and in doing so cover up hiswheelings and dealings with thecompany's money.

Robert's claims that he. didnot know that it was in effectSmith's money that he used tobuy the K-S- W group becauseof the use of the USNB's Trea­sury bonds as collateral. Thegrand jury, however, is consi­dering evidence that he did know,and may issue a conspiracy in­dictment if it is established thathe did. _

You can receive benefits if youbecome sick after you have leftCalifornia by filing a Californiaclaim form and mailing it to theaddress on the form. You may filefor benefits while in another stateor ANYWHERE outside the UnitedStates. Disability insurance isdesigned to serve you by maiL

What about migrants?

How to applyGet a disability insurance

claim form from the CampesinoCenter or Disability Insurance

'California Disability Insuranceis TWO things:

(1) If a doctor finds that youcannot work, you can get aweekly cash(or basic) bene­'fit for up to 26 weeks (one­half year).

(2) IN ADDITION, if you are ina hospital, you can get $12a day in hospital benefits

for up to 20 days.

What are the benefits?

children of all ages are covered.Make sure that each member ofyour family has and works underhis own correct Social Securitynumber. Each employer musthave a record of each worker'sSocial Security number.

1s pregnancy covered?Pregnancies are now covered if

they are abnormal or if there aredisabling conditions.

Who is covered?All farm workers working in

California whether residents ornot. Men, women; students and

• IF you work in California youare covered by disability insur­ance when you are hurt off-the­Ijob, or become sick off-the-job.• IF your doctor, chiropractoror dentist finds that you cannotwork, and• IF you earned, at least, $300during a 12- month base period,and• IF you file a claim request­ing these benefits not later thanthe 20th day after the 1st day forwhich benefits are payable.STRIKERS ARE COVERED FORALL ACCIDENTS AND FORTHCSE 'ILLNESSES REQUIRINGHCSPITALIZATION NOT ARIS­ING OUT OF THE STRIKE.

In February ofthis year the De­lano Campesino Center won 3appeals for strikers who had beendenied disability because theywere on strike and had "with­drawn from the labor market".In each of these 3 capes, takento the State Appeals Board byCampesino Center staff mem­bers, the disabled farm workerwas awarded full benefits.

In one of the above cases thefarm worker became injured onthe boycott in Minnesota. She re­ceived CaliforniaState Disabili­ty Insurance because the AppealsBoard determined that "the boy­cott is part of the national strikecalled by the union" and that shedid not withdraw from the labormarket since her unemploymentwas the result of a labor dispute.

Join EI Malcriado's Distribution Campaign!

Send"this form in with your check or money order andwe'll send your papers out immediately so you won'tm iss an issue.

(Office Use Only-do not write in th is space.)

Accl. #

I want to help distribute EL M'ALCRIADO.Send me:

bundle (s) of 50 issues in Spanish.bundle (s) of 50 issues in English.bundle (s) of 50 issues with_issues in Englishand_issues in Spanish.

-- STATE ZIP _

Check one:

Please send number indicated above every issue. _Send this issue only.

CA. 93531KEENEP.O. BOX 62,

NAMEADDRESS .1 _

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E1Malcriado - May 29, 1974 - Page 15

Ex-PR man gives first-hand account

Inside the Teamster lie factory

'Bad publ icity'

ever I questioned the falsenessof our propaganda, or the stupid­ity of sending organizers toplaces like Almaden Vineyardswhere they were chased out byfarm workers.

Most of the Chicanos in theorganization really were clerks.They were expected to check inand out on a time clock when­ever they came to work at ouroffice in Salinas.

"The office situation was a lotworse last summer," one of thesecretaries confided to me.""Whenever Sid blew up at one ofus, he would stalk off calling us'stupid Mexicans.' It was prettyhard to take."

Among the higher-up Chicanos,loyalty was built on money. Astarting organizer would cost theunion well over a grand a month.And with the area supervisorsand aministrators, the sky wasthe limit.

The newspaper that I was sup­posed to edit first appeared thelast week of my employment.15,000 editions of the "Team­ster Farmworker" were publish­ed and ready to go.

The next day all 15,000 copieswere dumped.

Louie Uribe and Sid Luscutofftold me those were Crami'sorders. Grami had objected toone key phrase in the newspaper:"Let us not forget that we havethe right to strike the growers.....

Grami _ decided the growersmight take us seriously. We didn'twant that to happen. Such a state­ment would be "bad publicity,"as Luscutoff put it.

Since tqen the newspaper hasreappeared - only the offendingarticle has been cut. Its author,Area Supervisor Uribe, has beendemoted to the Teamster PR de­partment.

On March 28, 1974, I was fired.I was given "budgetary cutbacks"as the reason. Myboss,Jim Han­

sen offered to write me a letter·of recommendation. He assuredme that it wasn't my fault.

Only that I wasn't a good enoughliar.

Defending the Tea m s t e ragainst charges of racism wasthe hardest task that the PR de­partment faced. One of our de­baters, Jim Butler, described thesituation perfectly one night whenhe was speaking to a hostilecrowd.

"The T I!a m s t e r s are notracist," he said nervously, "Allthe secretaries in the Teamsters'headquarters in S.alinas are Mex­ican women."

The Teamsters tried to dis­guise the Anglo-dominance of theTeamster Agricultural WorkersOrganizing Committee by hiringChicano and Filipino organizers.But I quickly found that Bill Gra­mi, a non-farm worker organizerfrom the larger Teamster or­ganization, was our real leader.And the second-in-command washis young, blonde wife, Jan.

"Grami says," was a phraseI heard over and over again when-

Racism in the office

These were the kind of lies wewere sending our debaters toDolores Huerta with.

We tried to hide Teamstershortcomings by trumpetingbenefits exclusively contained inTeamster contracts. We loudlyproclai med a one- thousand dollarlife insurance plan that coveredTeamster farm workers, whilewe quietly forgot abouttheone­hundred- thousand dollar plan thatthese same farm workers bou·ghtfor the union officials with theirdues.

We proudly pointed to our 10~­

an-hour pension plan and askedwhy the UFW had none. But I was

extremely surprised when I discovered a company - financedpension plan was also containedin several UFW contracts. I con­fronted administrator Sid Lus­cutoff about the UFW pensionplan.

"That's for Cesar's bank ac­count," he laughed. "Nobody'sever collected from that pensionplan, and nobody ever wilL"

Several days later, I was toldnobody could collect pension un­der our plan for at least a year.

signed by a phony "committee"of farm workers that Hansenmade up. I qUickly learned thasuch tactics were normal in theoffice. ·Dozens of phony letterswere sent to legislators andclergy to prove farm worker sup­port for the Teamsters. Every­one in the office, from the clerksto the organizers, would have towrite two or three each time.

The more I learned about theTeamsters, the more difficult itbecame for me to defend them.Part of my job involved research­ing the contracts to find argu­ments that our debate team onthe East Coast could use.

Bill Grami

I checked both UFW and Team­ster contracts. The costs to thegrowers were almost equaL Theoriginal comparison had arrivedat the buck- an- hour difference bycounting the cost of Teamsterbenefits but leaving UFW benefitsout.

Once, several hours before hewas scheduled to debate UFW.first Vice President DoloresHuerfa, Teamster Tony Mendezasked me for proof that our grlipecontracts were costing the grow­ers almost a dollar more perhour than UFW contracts. Men­dez based this figure on a costcomparison we were using.

Teamster headquarters in SaUnas•

DEDICATHE N

DEDICATED

Your i

Louis \Farmworker Area Supel'\

'My job, to lie'This conversation with a high­

ranking Teamster organizermarked the turning point of mycareer with the Teamsters. Moreand more, I found myself expect­ed to lie.

"You can't have doubts aboutwhat we're doing if you workhere,'· warned Jim Hansen, myprofessor-like boss, the day Istarted work. He showed me apr 0-Teamster advertisement toappear in the Teamster Farm­worker, a new newspaper wewere going to publish. It was

"Get it through your fuckingthick skul1!" he advised me. "Wedon't want any elections until allfarm workers in California arecovered by the NLRB."

Then I realized that we weregoing to keep stalling farm work­er elections as long as the UFWexisted. We couldn't beat the UFWin any fair election and we knewit.

TeamMarch,1974

Ii~,...

up-comlt,cings. We all will nay\;.pend on each other durtn~

pressing times and keep communica-· Gr.._tion lines always open. union aUll.

Let u not forget that we h~ have lost your.the right to strike the growers if ;d'i chase a dupllcalwhen it becomes necessary; and let charge of $1.00.us remember that we, the Teamstermembers. hold the hammer in our If you have any q,hands and that the growers should on us. We're here tenot let themselves believe that weTeamsters do not know how todrive nails to the ground. We willbring our hammer down if neces-,~~. to receive a just and fair con-J

~t. -"Brothers and sisters, don't fail if

you have a chance to come and visityour Teamster office( ) and staff.We are here to help each other likefamily members. We all know that

Grami censorsTeamster strike threat

The short squat man poundedthe desk to punctuate his words.

"We won. We won! Goddamnit,that's what we wanted. The NLRBruled they would not sponsorunion elections at Steak- MateCOll)pany."

As a Teamster PR man, I hadbeen telling the public that theTeamsters wanted secret ballotelections for farm workers. NowLouis Uribe, Teamster AreaSupervisor, was telling me thatwe successfully prevented farmworkers for a Santa Clara aspar­agus grower from voting for theunion of their choice.

It didn't make sense and I toldUribe it didn't.

When the paragraph above appeared in the March, 1974 edition of t"Teamster F-armwOl'ker", Bill Grami ordered the 15,000 copies destroyed. The edItioo reappeared in April as "the first issue of tbTeamster Farmworkers," with the off~ding paragraph replaced witan article by Frank Castro, secretary-treasurer of the Teamster farlocal 1973 in Salinas.

e wrote, ..Our policy will not be to operate as others who coostantlyxpress hatred and biased reporting and Who coosequently lose tbe

.eal honest intent that Is so meaningfUl to a good new~r. II We,ill report all matters honestly and with integrity, as we do not in

end to lose our credibility."

The following article was writ­ten by a man who worked on thepUblic relations staff of theTeamsters Agricultural Work­ers Organizing Committee inSa­linas for three months earlierthis year. In March he was firedfor "budgetary cutbacks."

. Page 16 - May 29, 1974 - E 1 Malcriado