Santa Rosa residents honor Cesar Chavez with march celebrating United Farm Workers’ 50th Anniversary

Santa Rosa, Calif. – Hundreds of farm workers, United Farm Workers’ supporters and community activists will celebrate Cesar Chavez’s birthday by affirming that the lives and work of farm workers "are worth more" with a march beginning at 12 noon on Sunday, April 1, at 665 Sebastopol Rd. (at the old Albertson’s parking lot on Roseland) in Santa Rosa. Chavez’s March 31 birthday is celebrated as an official holiday in eight states, including California.

The UFW’s twin legislative priorities as it marks its 50th anniversary in 2012 are union-sponsored bills further protecting farm workers from dying of the heat and providing field laborers with overtime pay after eight hours a day like nearly all other California workers.

"We honor Cesar Chavez’s legacy on this 50th anniversary of the founding of his union by declaring that farm workers are worth more– and deserve more–in pay and protections,’" said UFW President Arturo Rodriguez. Marchers will support AB 1313, by Assemblymember Michael Allen (D-Santa Rosa), the UFW’s eight-hour overtime bill, and union-sponsored AB 2346, by Assemblymember Betsey Butler (D-El Segundo), that would let farm workers enforce shade and water requirements Cal-OSHA has failed to carry out to prevent farm workers from dying or becoming ill when temperatures soar.

This march is one of many scheduled commemorative activities including the 50th Anniversary Convention on May 17-20 in Bakersfield, CA.

WHO:     United Farm Workers members and supporters.

WHAT:   March on Chavez birthday weekend honoring UFW’s 50th anniversary

WHEN:   Meeting at 12 noon, Sunday, April 1, 2012.

WHERE: 665 Sebastopol Rd. (At the old Albertson’s parking lot on Roseland) Santa Rosa, CA.

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