We are pleased to announce another union victory for farm workers. The United Farm Workers just won its third union contract for San Joaquin Valley tomato workers since last spring. A fourth tomato contract is expected to be finalized soon. Altogether, those four agreements will benefit nearly 2,000 tomato workers, from Fresno north to Stockton.
Some 300 peak season tomato workers have won their first three-year union contract through the binding mediation law won by the UFW in 2002. Unlike Ace Tomato Co., San Joaquin Tomato Growers Inc. respected and implemented the mediation law, and both the company and its workers are the beneficiaries. The new agreement includes hourly guarantees for piece rate workers that were raised from $8 to $8.50 in 2012. They will go up to $8.76 in 2013, and to $9.02 in 2014. The pact also establishes the highest bucket rate at 61 cents with additional annual increases. It was 54 cents a bucket before.
The contract with San Joaquin Tomato also limits the topping off of buckets. Most tomato growers pay their farm labor contractors by the ton. So many force workers to top off their buckets, resulting in workers picking three to five pounds per bucket for which they don’t get paid. That practice has ended at San Joaquin Tomato. The agreement grants workers seniority rights and job security, protections against unjust discipline and firing, and a grievance procedure to protect their rights. The company harvests fresh tomatoes in Fresno, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. It’s packinghouse is based in Crows Landing, Calif., near Modesto.
Arturo S. Rodriguez, President
United Farm Workers of America