12 noon Saturday, April 17, in NYC
Six years after his death, Cesar Chavez’s followers honor the legendary UFW founder by marching for strawberry worker rights
Cesar Chavez’s family and friends believe the best way to honor the legendary farm labor leader is by continuing his work. So hundreds will mark the sixth anniversary of his death on Saturday by marching down New York City streets to champion the rights of 20,000 abused California strawberry pickers.
Leading the march will be Richard Chavez–brother of the United Farm Workers founder–Ms. Magazine’s Gloria Steinem, AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Linda Chavez-Thompson and New York City Central Labor Council President Brian McLaughlin.
Under Chavez’s successor as UFW president, Arturo Rodriguez, the union has won 18 straight elections and signed 22 new contracts with growers. When strawberry workers began organizing with the UFW in mid-1996, average earnings were $8,500 a season. They had not received a pay hike in more than a decade.
Berry workers laboring for growers associated with the giant Driscoll corporation also face pesticide-treated fields and intimidation when they organize. Strawberry workers filed three federal class action lawsuits charging Driscoll growers with forcing pickers to work without pay, failing to provide proper overtime and engaging in alleged widespread sex discrimination against women workers. The overtime and sex bias suits have been settled.
Who: Richard Chavez, Gloria Steinem, national and local labor leaders joining hundreds of area farm worker supporters.
What: Marking the sixth anniversary of Cesar Chavez’s death by marching for strawberry worker rights.
When: 12 noon, Saturday, April 17, 1999.
Where: Rally at St. Paul the Apostle Church auditorium (corner of 60th St. & Columbus Ave.); march proceeds north and ends at 73rd & Broadway.
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