I received the following e-mail today, which is weird, because I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a member of the Farmworker’s Community. But as a member of the community of Northern California, I am keenly aware of the raw deal many farmworkers get, especially from wineries that are rolling in cash. Hell, I get a raw deal, comparatively speaking, doing construction work on some of these wineries, and I do one hell of a lot better than the poor bastard picking grapes for some of these declasse pricks. So I decided to pass along this message for anyone who cares about the plight of the farmworking community. I only wish I could boycott Gallo, but I haven’t had a drink in over sixteen years.
Greetings Farm Worker Community!
After almost two years of fight, the Farm Workers at Gallo of Sonoma continue to struggle for a fair contract.
Despite Gallo of Sonoma being one of the largest wine producers in the world, with its annual sales reaching $1.8 billion, the Company has refused to meet the modest demands from the Farm Workers that include decent wages, benefits, fair treatment, and just working conditions.
More, plus contact information, is in the extended entry.
For this reason, the United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO has decided to declare a “National Boycott of all Gallo Wines.”
On TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 2005, at 12:00pm, UFW President Arturo Rodriguez will declare a “National Boycott of all Gallo Wines” at San Francisco City Hall.
(400 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA- Civic Center)
Note: For those of you in the North Bay: We will have transportation available for those of you interested in carpooling/vanpooling with us on that special day. We will be departing at 9:00am from the UFW-Santa Rosa Office. (1700 Corby Ave, “D,” Santa Rosa, 95407-Carpenters/Labor Center)
Please let us know as soon as possible (via telephone/email) on your interest in carpooling/vanpooling so that we can rent/prepare the appropriate amount of space.
“The Consumer boycott is the only open door in the dark corridor of nothingness down which farm workers have had to walk for many years. It is a gate of hope through which they expect to find the sunlight of a better life for themselves and their families.” –Cesar E. ChavezRoberto Garcia
Contract Administrator
United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO
1700 Corby Avenue, Suite DSanta Rosa, CA 95407
(707) 528-3039
Fax: (707) 573-3726
Email: rgarcia@ufwmail.com
website: www.ufw.org