L.A. school board tells Gerawan to honor its workers’ UFW contract, vows to monitor the grower’s compliance with the law
Los Angeles Unified School District’s Board of Governors joined an epic battle by farm workers to implement their union contract with a giant Central Valley grower by voting 6-0 for a resolution instructing its procurement office to monitor and report on whether Gerawan Farming complies with fair labor practices before contracts with the grape and tree fruit producer are approved by the board.
The L.A. school board resolution also called on Gerawan Farming to honor a union contract issued in 2013 by a neutral mediator and approved by the state. LAUSD through its suppliers has purchased PRIMA-label produce from Gerawan for its 1,270 schools and 907,000 students. Gerawan is avoiding millions of dollars in pay increases and other benefits already owed its workers by refusing to honor the contract with the United Farm Workers.
One hundred Gerawan farm workers traveled from Fresno by bus, joining UFW President Arturo s. Rodriguez in handing board members a petition signed by more than 10,000 people backing the resolution. Gerawan worker Juan Pablo Luna was one of the Gerawan workers. "I feel very happy that I participated today,” he said. “We are proud that the school board requested that Prima respect our contract and respect the law. I want to thank the Los Angeles school district. We hope this serves as a good example so other school districts will support us. Additionally, I’m thankful for the farm worker supporters whose donations made this trip possible."
“When powerful growers bullied farm workers in the 1960s, Cesar Chavez turned for support to the cities—including Los Angeles,” said the UFW’s Arturo S. Rodriguez. “Today, Gerawan farm workers ask you to stand with them against bullying in the fields,” Rodriguez told the board members. “Gerawan’s money and power—backed by a slick PR drive from Grover Norquist and the radical right—have thus far denied these workers justice in the fields. So Gerawan workers have come to L.A. asking you to help them win the justice that Gerawan denies.”
An administrative judge with the Agricultural Labor Relations Board began presiding in September over five months of hearings in Fresno featuring sworn testimony on sweeping complaints or indictments from state prosecutors charging Gerawan with multiple, serious and repeated violations of the law. The state prosecutors are presenting evidence on how Gerawan tried to illegally “prevent the UFW from ever representing its employees under a [union contract]” and trying to unlawfully decertify, or get rid, of the UFW.
The resolution proposed by board member Steve Zimmer specifically calls upon Gerawan Farming, which sells its fruit under the PRIMA label, to "comply with state and federal laws, including labor relations…and to immediately implement the agreement issued by the neutral mediator and the state of California." Board members voted to request having the district’s "Procurement Services Division report back to the board with an update regarding Gerawan Farming’s compliance with fair labor practices in the event any contracts with this vendor are brought to the board for approval.”
The Los Angeles City Council unanimously passed a similar resolution on Oct. 22. Another resolution is pending before the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and others are planned for New York City and Washington, D.C.