Gerawan fired Pablo Gutierrez for taking a picture while anti-union workers post photos taken at work
Workers from Gerawan Farming Inc. will gather at 2 p.m. today (Monday) at the UFW Foundation office in Fresno to detail official charges that have been filed with the state accusing the company of terminating their co-worker, Pablo Gutierrez, for taking a picture on Friday. A veteran union leader among the workers at Gerawan, Gutierrez was talking with members of his crew at a tree fruit orchard near Reedley about working conditions, including food safety issues such as guarding against contamination of the fruit they pick. After he took a photograph, the company suspended him. When he went to the Gerawan office, Gutierrez was terminated.
Meanwhile, anti-union workers at Gerawan have taken numerous pictures at work and have posted them on social media. Gerawan has never disciplined them. Some of those photos taken in the fields by anti-union employees will be displayed at the 2 p.m. event.
The United Farm Workers filed formal unfair labor practice charges Friday with the Agricultural Labor Relations Board office in Visalia, alleging that Gutierrez, who is a member of the UFW worker negotiating committee at Gerawan, was fired because of his union activities. The ALRB is still investigating other charges that Gerawan refused to recall union activists. Also pending against the company are four complaints—tantamount to indictments—issued since last year against Gerawan by the ALRB general counsel alleging serious and repeated labor law violations.
Who: Workers from giant Gerawan Farming Inc.
What: Detailing official charges filed with the state over Gerawan’s firing on Friday of their co-worker, Pablo Gutierrez, for taking a photograph.
When: 2 p.m., Thursday, July 28, 2014.
Where: UFW Foundation office, 2409 Merced Street, Suite 103, Fresno 93721.
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