http://thecalifornian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080426/NEWS01/804260303/1002UFW, growers reach agreement
By DAWN WITHERS • The Salinas Californian • April 26, 2008
After two days of strikes and flag-waving protests in Greenfield, the United Farm Workers of America have reached an agreement with growers over working conditions for pea harvesters.
About 500 pea workers were back in the fields Friday after their demands for an increase in pay were met.
The workers walked off the job Wednesday to protest rising quotas that required workers to pick 200 pounds of peas per day or be terminated. After failing to meet this quota, 20 workers were fired Tuesday.
"All we are asking is ... put the workers back to work," said Efren Barajas, a vice president of the United Farm Workers who oversees its Central Coast membership, on Wednesday.
According to the UFW, the workers were employed by Scott Anthony Ranch in King City, along with three other south Monterey County farm labor contractors: Azcona Harvesting in Greenfield, Perez Farm Labor Contracting in Gonzales, and labor contractor Jose Lopez. The companies were not available for comment late Friday afternoon.
Workers had been earning 40 cents per pound picked and were being charged $0.50 to $1 for water per day, the UFW reported.
Upon returning to work Friday, their requests for free drinking water, knee pads and a 10-cent pay increase to 50 cents per pound picked were granted. The quotas were also abolished, and the 20 fired workers were rehired.
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