NAPA VALLEY (California) REGISTER

April 5, 2008

UFW workers return to Krug

Contract accord reached after almost two years

By KERANA TODOROV
Register Staff Writer

Nearly two years after they were fired, workers are preparing to return to their jobs at Charles Krug Winery.

The winery and United Farm Workers reached a tentative accord last week, and the deal has now been firmed up by lawyers for both sides. The 24 vineyard workers who were dismissed in July 2006 are scheduled to begin return to work Monday, according to the company.

Union representatives hailed the agreement, saying the workers were reinstated because they stuck together. In a written statement Friday, UFW Regional Director Casimiro Alvarez called the reinstatement of the workers a “tremendous victory”.

“This just proves that when farm workers stand up to demand their rights, they will be heard,” Alvarez said.

The last contract expired on Dec. 31, 2005.

The new contract calls for an 18-percent pay raise over four years, UFW representative Roberto Garcia said.

In addition, the workers, many of whom had worked decades for the company, will receive backpay and also will retain their seniority status, the UFW said.

Garcia said the new contract will also cover subcontracted employees hired during peak season, such as harvest. The sub-contracted employees will also be entitled to the grievance and arbitration procedure as the other union workers, according to the UFW.

Charges brought by the state Agricultural Labor Relations Board in 2007 were dropped, said Tom Fossey, chief financial officer at Charles Krug.

In June 2007, the state Agricultural Labor Relations Board decided to file charges against Charles Krug.

The dispute centered over a winery proposal to conduct physical tests on laborers, tests that the union contended could be used to weed out older workers.

 The company denied wrongdoing, and the dispute dragged along in detailed ALRB processes and contract matters.

“To tell you the truth, we wanted a contract all along,” said Fossey, crediting the successful resolution in part to the last mediator’s skills.

Upon their return Monday, the workers will undergo safety training, Fossey said.

Charles Krug Winery has about 800 acres of vineyards.

Jorge de Haro, one of the workers fired in 2006, had worked at Charles Krug for 34 years. “I, along with my co-workers, am very happy because after having been fired unjustly by Charles Krug-Mondavi, we will be returning to our former jobs. And all because we remained organized and united in our struggle for farm worker justice,” he said in a written statement Friday.