Breakthrough for La Huelgo

Nearly four years ago, Cesar Chavez called la huelga--the strike--against many of California's growers of table grapes, seeking to gain for farm laborers the same rights of union recognition and collective bargaining that industrial workers have long enjoyed. Success at first was minimal. Chavez's United Farm Workers Organizing Committee won few contracts with table-grape growers; three of them have subsequently sold out their table-grape vineyards. In 1968, the union called for a nationwide boycott of California grapes, deepening the hostility between union and growers into seemingly hopeless stalemate.

Now, after more than a month of secret meetings, a major--and unexpected--breakthrough is in progress. Ten growers representing about 25% of California's table-grape production have announced their willingness to negotiate with Chavez. One farm workers' organizer said: "It's so beautiful I can hardly believe it." The union quickly agreed to talk. Last week, at the request of both sides, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service consented to help the parties come to terms, and negotiations began in Los Angeles.

Unmoral and Un-American. The boycott had been the decisive lever. Lionel Steinberg, co-chairman of the growers' group, admitted: "We are definitely hurting. It is costing us more to produce and sell our grapes than we are getting for them." Despite unusually large purchases by the Department of Defense, which Chavez's backers have hotly criticized, reduced consumer demand has caused prices to fall as much as 15%.

The union's assistant director, Larry Itliong, predicted that the men who had offered to negotiate "will be subject to scorn from certain growers who are determined to destroy the union at all costs." Indeed, Jack Pandol of Delano, where the strike began, reiterated a familiar argument that Chavez's union does not represent all of the workers in the vineyards. To "sell the workers against their will," he said, is "unmoral, un-Christian and un-American."

Jack Baillie, head of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Corp., an organization representing major California fruit and vegetable growers, denounced the ten who agreed to negotiate. Baillie said that nothing should be done until Congress sets up machinery enabling agricultural workers to choose which union, if any, is to represent them.

Guimarra Vineyards Corp., the state's largest table-grape producer with 10% of the crop, also continues to oppose negotiations adamantly, along with many smaller operators. But the union, buoyed by its initial success, is equally determined. Says Union Counsel Jerome Cohen: "We're not going to let up an inch until we have a contract with every single grower in California." Meanwhile, la huelga and el boicoteo will continue.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.