Striking farm workers at a Central Valley fresh tomato company win union representation election

Source: UFW

More than 250 workers employed at Gargiulo Inc., a Florida-based fresh tomato company with operations in the Central Valley, voted today to join the United Farm Workers of America.

On Monday, Gargiulo workers at a field in Firebaugh, located in Fresno County, walked out on strike protesting unfair labor practices by the company. A large majority of workers joined the concerted activity asking the company, which grows and harvests fresh tomatoes, for fairness.

The workers filed a petition for a union election Monday and cast their vote Wednesday morning supporting the union by a 186 to 40 vote.

"This is a historic win. The workers, through their vote, sent a clear message to the company that they want to be represented by the UFW. We call on Gargiulo's management to respect the will of the workers and immediately engage in good faith bargaining negotiations, so workers can have a union contract," said UFW Vice President Armando Elenes.

Last month, some 800 employees at Pacific Triple E, one of the largest fresh tomato companies in the United States, signed their first union contract, making them the best paid fresh tomato workers in the country. The contract provided wage increases of 12 to 57.4 percent over the life of the agreement for hourly and daily rate employees.

The UFW also held and won a union election in June to represent 340 vegetable workers in California's Central Coast.



Read more: http://www.ufw.org/_board.php?mode=view&b_code=news_press&b_no=12442&page=1&field=&key=&n=845

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