For Release: October 3, 1997
4:30 p.m. Fri. in Santa Rosa
UFW co-founder Huerta will join dozens of
Gallo vineyard workers in announcing formal
union charges against the huge Sonoma winery
United Farm Workers Secretary-Treasurer Dolores Huerta–who has been heading up union negotiations with the Gallo winery since earlier this year–will use a Friday news conference with dozens of Gallo workers to announce the filing of major state charges against the giant Sonoma County wine grape producer.
The charges, which are being formally submitted to the state Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB), involve abuses and discrimination against Gallo vineyard workers by farm labor contractors employed by the winery.
WHO: UFW Secretary-Treasurer Dolores Huerta and dozens of Gallo winery workers.
WHAT: News conference to announce filing of state charges against Gallo for abusing its vineyard employees.
WHEN: 4:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 3, 1997.
WHERE: Gallo Vineyard Inc., 3387 Dry Creek Road (Dry Creek Rd. Exit off of Hwy. 101) in Healbsdburg.
The union co-founder has been attempting to negotiate a UFW contract with Gall~the first in 24 years–after workers voted overwhelmingly to be represented by the union in a secret ballot election conducted by the ALRB on July 26, 1994. On July 26, 1995, the ALRB rejected objections to the election filed by Gallo and certified the UFW as the workers’ collective bargaining representative.
On July 17, 1997, the ALRB ruled that Gallo used frivolous appeals to delay negotiating for a UFW contract and ordered the winery to provide "make-whole" back-pay damages to its vineyard workers.
-end-