March details for Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday
Sen. Ortiz, Villaraigosa march Saturday Salinas Valley workers, Lt. Gov. on trek Sunday Lawmakers join Capitol fast Monday
Organizers of the United Farm Workers’ 150-mile, 10-day "March for the Governor’s Signature" from Merced to Sacramento–led by UFW President Arturo Rodriguez and union co-founder Dolores Huerta–released details for Friday through Monday. Farm workers are marching to obtain Gov. Gray Davis’ signature on SB 1736, by state Senate leader John Burton (D-San Francisco), which would grant them mediation and arbitration to win their first union contracts with growers who refuse to bargain in good faith.
* Joining the trek Saturday will be state Sen. Deborah Ortiz (D-Sacramento) and former Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, whom Gov. Davis endorsed last year for mayor of Los Angeles. Ortiz will stay Friday night with a family in Turlock like the other marchers. Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante will also be there Sunday morning.
* Arriving at the march Sunday in Modesto will be a busload of Salinas Valley farm workers, many from D’Arrigo Brothers, the huge vegetable company where workers have been fruitlessly negotiating a union contract since voting for the UFW in 1975.
* Twenty nine legislators–led by state Sen. Martha Escutia (D-Norwalk)–will join farm workers fasting on Monday at a vigil on the state Capitol’s north steps. Many of them will attend an 11 a.m. Monday news conference at the vigil site. The vigil will run 24 hours a day starting Monday.
Friday, Aug. 16, 2002—Livingston to Turlock
6 p.m. rally and end of day’s march at Donnelly Park, 600 Pedras St. at Dells east of Hwy. 99 in Turlock.
Saturday, Aug. 17, 2002—Turlock to Modesto
7 a.m. mass, 7:30 a.m. march starts, both at Donnelly Park in Turlock.
6 p.m. rally and end of day’s march at Cesar Chavez Park, 615 Sierra Dr. at 3rd in Modesto.
Sunday, Aug. 18, 2002—Modesto to Manteca
7 a.m. mass, 7:30 a.m. march starts, both at Cesar Chavez Park, 615 Sierra Dr. at 3rd in Modesto.
6 p.m. rally and end of day’s march in Manteca at a location to be determined.