10 a.m., Aug. 5, 1998 at grower’s Salinas office
Biggest walkouts in years hit Salinas vegetable industry; D’Arrigo workers demanding UFW contract halt harvest
In the largest job action to hit Salinas Valley vegetable fields in many years, most of D’Arrigo Brothers’s 900 farm workers walked off their jobs this morning demanding the huge grower bargain in good faith for a union contract.
Harvesting has been largely halted in D’Arrigo brocoli, cauliflower, onion, rapini and cactus fields stretching from Castroville to Greenfield. Workers are caravaning by car to a picketline and rally outside D’Arrigo’s Salinas offices at 10 a.m. Today’s protest is the fifth day of work stoppages that have affected one of California’s largest vegetable firms since Friday.
D’Arrigo workers voted for the UFW in a state-conducted election in 1975. They complain the company has refused to bargain in good faith. Worker grievances include low pay, no pension plan, job security or seniority protections, no grievance and arbitration procedure, and a company medical plan that workers can’t afford due to costly out-of-pocket expenses.
Workers began organizing again last May to pressure D’Arrigo for progress in negotiations. Three bargaining sessions have been held since then. The UFW presented the grower with a complete contract proposal on June 9, reports UFW Vice President Efrén Barajas. The company has not responded with a counter offer.
Who:Many of D’Arrigo Brothers’ 900 Salinas-area vegetable workers who walked off their jobs today.
What:Picketline and rally outside D’Arrigo headquarters as part of a one-day work stoppage demanding good faith talks for a United Farm Workers contract; Negotiations between workers and company.
When:10 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 5, 1998, demonstration; 1 pm negotiations.
Where:Demonstration –D’Arrigo office, 383 West Market St. (near Davis) in west Salinas.; negotiations–Grower Shipper Association offices, John and Pajaro Streets, Salinas.
D’Arrigo employs roughly 1,500 workers in vegetable fields surrounding Salinas, Huron and Brawley.
– end –