United Farmworkers Union Organizes at Guimarra Vineyards After Heatstroke Deaths

Interview with Marc Grossman, of the United Farmworkers Union, conducted by Melinda Tuhus

In mid-June, the United Farmworkers Union launched a boycott of all wines made by Ernest & Julio Gallo Winery due to stalled contract negotiations. Gallo is the world's largest winery by volume sold, and includes many brands, such as Redwood Creek, that don't carry the Gallo name. This was the first national boycott initiated by the UFW in more than 20 years.

But as the summer wore on, another labor issue for the UFW came to the fore: intensely hot weather and intolerable working conditions that led to the deaths of several farmworkers due to heat stroke. Two of those who died worked at Guimarra Vineyards, the largest grower of table grapes in the world. So the UFW shifted its priorities, at least for the short term, and filed to conduct a secret ballot election at Guimarra, to be held in early September.

Between The Lines' Melinda Tuhus spoke with Marc Grossman, a spokesman for the United Farmworkers Union, about this summer's campaigns and what the union hopes to accomplish with the Guimarra organizing drive.

For more information on the struggle at Guimarra as well as the Gallo boycott, Call the UFW at (661) 822-5571 or visit the union's website at www.ufw.org.

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