10:45 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Santa Rosa
Hundreds march urging Matt Gallo to stop denying health benefits for 75% of his workers or face new Gallo boycott
Hundreds of vineyard workers and supporters will protest in Santa Rosa Saturday demanding Gallo of Sonoma President Matt Gallo extend health care benefits to the 75% of his workers hired through farm labor contractors or face a renewed international boycott of Gallo wines.
Gallo adamantly refused health and other benefits for labor contractor employees when he agreed to a United Farm Workers contract after five years of bargaining in 2000. Earlier this year when the wine industry giant illegally tried to decertify, or get rid, of the union, Matt Gallo told workers the UFW didn¹t want them to have health benefits but the company favored medical coverage–an outright lie.
Since the contract expired on Nov. 1, Matt Gallo still refuses to cover labor contractor employees with health care. Among Gallo workers at Saturday’s march will be those who called on Matt Gallo during recent contract talks to make good on his promise to furnish them with health benefits. Gallo remained silent.
Many Gallo workers will join other wine country farm workers and their supporters at the march on Saturday aimed at avoiding a new boycott of Gallo wines. A 1973-77 UFW boycott of Gallo drew support from millions of Americans, according to a 1975 Louis Harris poll.
Who: Hundreds of vineyard workers and supporters led by UFW President Arturo Rodriguez.
What: Demanding Gallo of Sonoma President Matt Gallo stop denying health benefits to most of his workers or face a new Gallo wine boycott.
When: 10:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22, 2003.
Where: From the parking lot at 665 Sebastopol Rd. (at Dutton Ave.) to Old Courthouse Square, corner of Mendocino Ave. and Third St. in Santa Rosa.
– end –