State Controller John Chiang joins Latino
Caucus members on chain fast for SB 104
Farm workers, supporters in 12-day drive urging Gov. Brown to sign bill
Sacramento, Calif.– Farm workers and their supporters continue a 12-day campaign this week at the state Capitol urging Gov. Brown to sign the Fair Treatment for Farm Workers Act (SB 104), a measure that would make it easier for farm laborers to join unions. The effort for the legislation that went to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk last Thursday, is organized by the United Farm Workers and includes a rotating fast by farm laborers and their backers on the north steps of the Capitol building facing L Street.
On Monday, June 20, state Controller John Chiang joins the SB 104 fast. State Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones and members of the Latino Legislative Caucus will also participate in the fasting on Monday, followed on Tuesday by Los Angeles County Federation of Labor Executive Secretary-Treasurer Maria Elena Durazo, former San Jose Vice Mayor and South Bay Central Labor Council leader Cindy Chavez, UFW Vice Presidents Erika Oropeza and Diana Tellefson Torres, and former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Maria Echaveste. Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa will join the fast on Wednesday as well as United Food and Commercial Workers International President Joe Hansen. On Thursday, Cesar Chavez’s brother and sister, Richard Chavez and Rita Chavez Medina, travel to Sacramento to join the fast.
Also fasting on Thursday will be state Senate leader Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), author of SB 104, which would give California farm workers an alternative to deciding union representation in addition to traditional, on-the-ranch polling place elections where field workers are especially vulnerable to grower intimidation. The Agricultural Labor Relations Board has recently thrown out balloting results because of illegal grower coercion. Under the bill, farm workers would be able to also fill out state-issued ballots in private.