Labor Day weekend event in California
Governor’s proposal incorporated into Steinberg bill
Often braving 100-degree heat as they complete a 13-day, 200-mile peregrinacion (pilgrimage) up the Central Valley to Sacramento, thousands of farm workers and supporters will rally Sunday on the state Capitol’s north steps in the largest union-sponsored event during Labor Day weekend in California. Marchers travel today from Walnut Grove to Franklin near Elk Grove.
The Fair Treatment for Farm Workers Now march enters Sacramento on Friday, the same day a framework crafted by Gov. Jerry Brown is incorporated into legislation, SB 126, by state Senate leader Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento). The marchers are also calling for a measure, AB 1313, by Assemblymember Michael Allen (D-Santa Rosa), that would end the decades-long exclusion of farm workers from receiving overtime pay after eight hours a day or 40 hours a week like nearly all other California workers.
The final leg of the march begins at 10 a.m. Sunday at Sacramento’s Southside Park, 8th and T streets, and concludes with the Capitol rally at 12 noon. Farm workers have already committed to filling 77 buses traveling to Sacramento early Sunday from the state’s major agricultural regions—from the Central Valley and Ventura County to the Central Coast and Napa and Sonoma valleys in the North Coast wine country.
Participating at the Capitol rally Sunday will be lawmakers such as Sen. Steinberg, Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, state and local labor leaders, regional Mexican music star Larry Hernandez, entertainment groups including Horoscopos de Durango and farm workers who have been victims of abuse.
(Visit the UFW Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/unitedfarmworkers)
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