Democratic Convention Speech – UFW Secretary Treasurer Sergio Guzman
Thirty years ago, millions of people like you supported farm workers in our boycott of Gallo wines. Workers struggled. But we lost.
Eleven years ago, we came back to your convention and asked you to endorse our renewed effort at Gallo. You did. And in 2000, Gallo workers won their first contract.
Last month, we successfully negotiated our 4th contract with Gallo. Workers won decent wages and benefits and bonuses and paid holidays. To all of you from all of us, thank you.
My name is Sergio Guzman. I am the Secretary-Treasurer of the United Farm Workers. I led the struggle at Gallo.
Today I have come to ask you again for your help.
In 1975, Governor Jerry Brown signed the Agricultural Labor Relations Act. It gave farm workers the right to organize a union… but as the long struggle at Gallo shows, the law is difficult to enforce.
In fact, in example after example, year after year, we see that the laws on the books are not the laws in the fields.
After farm workers started dying of heat in 2004, we won new state regulations to protect them. But those laws haven’t been enforced. More farm workers die picking your food every year. And the state does nothing.
At Giumarra Vineyards, the largest tabe grape grower, two farm workers have died, 11 citiations have been issued, no fines collected.
The laws on the books are not the laws in the fields.
When we held our union election at Giumara, we had nearly 80% of the workers petition for our union. Yet after a campaign of intimidation, with threats of deportation, we lost the election. The ALRB found Giumarra guilty. But still we have no union.
The laws on the books are not the laws in the fields.
When Cal-OSHA found a farm labor contractor guilty of not providing water and shade… they never bothered to collect a fine.
A year later, a 17-year old farm worker – Maria Isavel – died because she was denied water and access to shade by that same farm labor contractor.
The Distrct Attorney filed manslaughter charges in her case. And last month, the judge sentenced the contractor to “community service”… community service for manslaughter.
The laws on the books are not the laws in the fields.
This year, we are fighting to win passage and the Governor’s signature on the Fair Treatment for Farm Workers Act.
The Act will allow farm workers to sign their name to join a union. Free from intimidation and threat and fear.
Senator Steinberg is carrying our bill. Speaker Perez is giving us his support.
On May 16 – the 4th anniversary of Maria Isavel’s death – the bill will win approval in the Assembly and ready to go to the Governor.
We are here today to ask your help. 50,000 farm workers and their supporters have already sent postcards to Governor Brown asking him to sign the law… to give farm workers the right to do what the state cannot do and has not done… let farm workers protect themselves.
Today, you can join this effort by expressing your support on our petition.
We haven’t come to the Capitol to ask for money in the budget. We have come to ask for the tools we need so farm workers can have the legal rights of union contract… rights they can enforce… rights they are denied… Because the laws on the books are not the laws in the fields.