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Fr. john Bank. His bishop, jamesW. Malone, immediately sent Teamster President Frank Fitzsimmonsa telegram condemning his union'spolitics of violence.
from the Diocese of YoungstownOhio and has been doing presslaison work for the Union sincemid- june. He began his work insupport of the Union in 1969 whenhe became involved in the GrapeBoycott in Ohio. Fr. Bank wasco-ordinating the boycott in Ohioprior to coming to the CoachellaValley.
Chavez51
TeamstersNO!
You'll make them sick:'
Did not strike back
One of the goons, Mike Falco,24, Buena Park, came over to thetable, saying , .. So you think itsfunny? I'm going to stop laughingand then its not go ing to be so funny."
.Hosp i ta I i zedThe Coachella police arrived, but
did not make any arrests until Fr.Bank said he wanted to make aCitizen's arrest. Falco was thensearched and as he was taken away,he waved playfully at his fellowthugs.
Bill Wong took Fr. Bank to IndioFalco took off his dark glasses, Memorial Hospital where a doctor
stared at Fr. Bank, and said, "This ifrom Palm Springs reshaped and setis going to be worth going to his nose the best he could.jail for." Two or three goons Mike Falco will be charged withsuddenly pressed Fr. Bank against assault With intent to inflict serioushis table from behind. bodily harm--a felony. He was
Falco swung as hard as he could released on $625 bail. Arraignmentwith his left hand and slugged Fr. has not yet taken place.Ban~ square in the face. Fr. Later Fr. Bank, who as a teenBank's nose shattered. He did not ager was a Golden Glove fighter, saidstrike back. he had never been hit so hard in
Blood gushed out of his nose his life.and a waitress brought him a towel. Fr. Bank returned to the picHe asked the waitre.,·oe5 tv c the ~et lwe l.lie He t Clay where strikerspolice, but they refused. Fr. Bank expressed their concern for hiswas finally obliged to call the police injury. But a flat-bed truck filledhimself. with Teamster goons continued their
While he was waiting for the ridicule as he walked along the linepolice to come, one of the goons bandaged up like an auto accidenttold him, "Don't stand around here victim.bleeding. People are trying to eat. Fr. Bank is on loan to the Union
fro John Bank Brutally Assaulted
The arrow points to Mike Falco, six feet four inches tall and weighing 300 pounds, surrounded by fellow Teamster goons. The day after theassault, Msgr. George C. Higgins, Director of the Department for Social Development of the U.S. Catholic Conference issued a statement inWashington, D.C. saying the Teamsters' failure to denounce the attack on Fr. Bank proves the Teamsters condone such violence andcontinue to encourage it by hiring thugs at $67 a day.'
COACHELLA, California -- ATeamster gocn smashed in Fatherjohn Bank's nose as he ate breakfast at the Trukadero Restaurantin Coachella May 30 about 9:00a.m.
• On their way to the Union strikeoffice after visting the grape strikepicketlines, Fr. Bank and Wall Streetjournal reporter William Wongwent, at Wong's suggestion, to therestaurant to continue their discussion. As they ordered breakfast,about ten Teamster goons came inand sat down at the tables aroundthem.
The goons recognized Fr. Bankimmediately and harrassed the twomen with loud remarks about "thoseAFL-CIO guys over there." Theremarks, along with animal noisesand hysterical laughing, continuedfoV about ten minutes.
Finally , Fr. Bank told them:"This man is a reporter from theWall Street journal. You are givinghim a good show. You're likea CRst from a 'B' movie."
WORKERS STRIKE STRAWBERRY hOOKERS AT SECURITY FARMSREFUSE TO SIGN WITH TEAMSTERS
SANTA MARIA, California -- Themajority of the strawberry workersat Security Farms near Santa Mariastruck May 26 after Teamster goonsattempted to sign them up usinginsults and abusive language.
Security Farms, which cultivatesabout 210 acres in strawberries andbetween 2 to 3 thousand acres in.lettuce, signed a sweetheart contractwith the Teamsters Union in 1970and has had labor difficulties eversince because workers leave theirjobs rather than sign with theTeamsters. .
The latest encounter, which triggered the strike, began May 21when the company announced it would
pay a bonus only after 20 boxesof strawberries were picked, ratherthan 10 as done by other companiesin the area.
At the same time, the Teamstersgave the workers ten days to signup With the Teamsters Union or getout.
Forced to negotiateThe workers responded with a
three-day walkout during which 1,200boxes of ripe strawberries wentunpicked.
Company owner Yataro Minamiwas forced to negotiate directly withthe workers and on May 23.agreed
Refusedto sign with Teamsters
The next day at 7:00 a.m., thegoons appeared again,determined tomake the workers sign,using insultsand abusive language. 42 out of the52 workers in the field responded
, by walking out, some of them pullingUnion flags from under their shirts.
Paulino Pacheco talking to strikers ..
Grower Yataro Minami: the sweetheart conttact with the Teamstersis not paying off.
to pay the bonus after 10 boxes As the strike continues, the Teamand promised the workers would not ster goons themselves are trying tohave to sign with the Teamsters. pick and load the strawberries. as
The Teamsters stayed away from. they are taunted by the very workersthe negotiations. they supposedly represent: "Hey.. The workers went back to their hurry it up • boys. Maybe youjobs. But May 25, the Teamsters can take some of that fat off.came into the fields again. This Santa Maria Union Office Directime the workers called the Union tor Paulino Pacheco explained thatoffice in Santa Maria and a group the company is hurting because itof Union organizers came to the needs about 100 experienced workersfields to confront the goons. at this point in the strawberry
The company called the sheriffs harvest, but has only about 20 ofdepartment and deputies told both the which more than half areUnion organizers and Teamster inexperienced.goons to leave. "The reason the company only
had 52 workers in the first place,"he said, "is because the companykeeps losing workers every timethe Teamsters try to sign themup."
About 100 pickets show up mor,nings at the strawberry farm located at East Stowell and PhiIl.dckroads. Many of the pickets are farmworkers and supporters from thevalley and as far away as Oxnard.
Sheriff Fails To StopTeamster Violence
Rudy Pili
2. EL MALeR IADO .• June 15,1973L~ LU~!;~J~M J3 ~ ~~Er.2~ J~ 'G
;SANTA MARlA.California-- The'Union wiII file charges of assaultagainst Teamster goon Rudy Pilifor driVing the staff of a Teamsterflag he was carrying into one ofUnion member Jose Garcia Garcia'shands June 2, reported Santa MariaUnion Office Director Paulino Pacheco.
Complicity withTeamsters
Pacheco also charged the SantaBarbara County Sheriff's Department "of complicity with the Teamsters" for not heeding his warningstha Rudy Pili would sooner orlater hurt someone.
The incident took place as 100farm workers picketed SecurityFarms , which was struck May 28.According to Witnesses, Garcialeaned on a "No Trespassing" sign,placing his haJ?d at the top of the postto which the sign was attached. Atthat moment Pili rushed 'upand stabbea him on the hand withthe flag stake he was carrying.Garcia's hand was hurt serious
ly enought to require hospital treatment.
The incident was reported to thesheriff's department, said Pacheco,but nothing happened.
Rudy Pili dangerousThe day before, Pili showed up at
the picket line with several othergoons. All were carrying blueTeamster flags and were wavingthem at the strikers and standingso close to them tha they almoststruck the strikers in the face.
In another incident, Pili grabbedone of the strikers' flags and returned only the $take. Charges werefiled against Pili for stealing anddestroying private property.
After these and other incidentsduring the past several months,said Pacheco, the sheriff's department was warned that Pili is a dangerous man. "If someone gets hurteven worse," he said, "They are theones responsible, because we gavethem adequate warning."
H · P b SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT ACTING "UKE A PRIVATE ARMYearlngs .ro e-FOR THF GReJrlERS"CWlRGES UNION ATIORNEY JERRY CoHEN
Kern Court, Police InjusticeBAKERSFIELD, California-
Union General Counsel jerry Cohencharged the Kern County Sheriff'sDepartment with acting "like a private army for the growers" duringhearings by the California StateSenate Subcommittee on Laborchaired by Senator David A. Roberti.
jerry said the sheriff's depart.ment sided with the growers' in. terests at the expense of farmworkers and other taxpayers - andaccused Kern County courts of "imposing mathematical straitjackets"on Union picket lines with unnecessary and unjust rulings. Hesaid anti-Union temporary restraining orders and temporary injunctions have been issued in onesided hearings, without proper supporting evidence aM with no opportunity for the Union to presentits side.
Courtsacted unconstitutionally
In granting these orders withoutnotice to the Union, he said, theCOll+ts have clearly acted unconstitionally. They are void orders,yet arrests and, prosecutions stem-
ming from those arrests continuein Kern County, he said.
"What business is it of the county to be enforcing these civil orderswhen the growers have a civilremedy (lawsuits) at their disposal," he asked.
According to Kern County Sheriff Charles A. Dodge, the countyis spending an added $50,000 amonth even in the pre-harvest season (the grape harvest comes nextmonth). Dodge said the county hadissued the "order to enforce" tohis department because the growers "want action now."
Courtscrippled Salinas Strike
Union attorney Bill Carder gavea history of the Court's actionsduring the 1970 Salinas strike. TRO' sand injunctions were employed tocripple the Union.
All strike activity was enjoinedin Salinas, just when the strikewas on the verge of victory, he said.
Not until two years later, inDecember 1972, did the State Supreme Court vindicate the Unionand vacate all the injunctions.Had there been fair hearings at the
time, he said, the strike would havecontinued and been settled in a fairway..
If the Union had been allowed touse direct economic pressurethrough the organization of workers, their would have never beena national lettuce boycott. Thecourts acted upon demand fromthe growers in "rubber-stamping"temporary restraining orders,Carder charged.
By these and other m,eans justicehas been perverted, resulting in thecurrent nationwide struggle. Theissue could 'have been settled directly and fairly three years ago, hesaid.
No instancesof violence cited- Superior Court judge P. R. Bor
.ton, who has been issuing antiUnion injunctions placing restrictions on Union picket line~ suchas requiring strikers to stand onehundred feet apart and placing limitations on tile use of sound systems, admitted he did not visit thefields prior to issuing them because"wimessing a situation" wouldcause him to lose his "Objectivity."Ouring his testimony he referred
to Union picket lines as "mobs"three times, and said that "instances of violence" had caused himto issue the injunctions.
When asked to specify "instancesof violence," he indicated that whilethe affidavits contained none, thermust have been some because heremembers "reading it in the papers."
Others testifying at the hearingswere struck grower john j. Kovacavich, Harry Weatherholt of Tenneco and Sergeant Howard Thurston.
Conspicuous by hi's absence wasdistrict attorney Albert M. Leddywho assured Senator Roberti thathe would appear at the hearingswithout the necessity of a subpoena.
Leddy changed his mind at thelast moment and failed to appear."I took him at his word," saidROberti expressing his disapprovalto the audience.
The hearings took place at thePolice Department Auditorium inBakersfield, which was packed byUnion strikers, AFL-CIO representatives, wimesses, a rowof Teamsters and a British filmcrew making a documentary filmof the Union's struggle against thegrower-Teamster conspiracy.
Sheriff deputies with Marty Bozina, supervisor for John Kovacevich. The only time they payany attention to farm workers and is when they arrest them.
June 15,1973. El MAlCRIADO • 3
•
. in the struggle
/
The strike growers stronger in Coachella.
~W THE GROWERS SEE GRAPE STR IKEAccording to an lUlidentified grower quoted by the May
edition of the Desert" Rancher, a grower publication inthe Coachella Valley, There are going to be some skullscracked. The Teamsters have had about enough of thisguff that Chavez and his preachers have been handingout, and if there isn't some bloodshed I'll miss my guess-and my money is on the Teamsters."
As if nothing is wrong, the Desert Rancher goes onto report that "the grapes this year look good. Theyhave sized up .well, and under normal conditions thegrowers would look forward to another fairly lucrativeseason."
"Last year," reports the Desert Rancher, "'!las thefirst real moneymaking season in sev~al years, however,and growers badly need another good' season to helpthem 'get wel1' ."
The article ends, perhaps with an eye to the strike,"By this time next month they'll know just how sick orwell they are."
RIGHT TO VISIT lABoR CAMpS UPHELDOLYMPIA, Washington -- The State Supreme Court.
spelled out far-reaching rights for attorneys and Unionorgani:;;:ers who deal with migrant farm workers, saying
."a union organizer has a right to· go where necessaryto meet with workers as long as his exercise of thatright is reasonable." _
The ruling reversed trespass convictions of Michaelj. Fox. an attorney from Seattle, and Guadalupe M. Gamboa. a Union organizer, who were arrested when theyattempt to talk to migrant workers on the Rogers Corp.farm near Walla Walla.
RICHARD NIXON: THIS IS r'bT THE FIRST TIMEMuch is being said about the Watergate scandal and what
it· means to Richard Nixon's career as a politician whois unscrupulous and ~orrupt. But many people are notsuprised that Nixon maintains relationships with the Teamsters despite their connections with the Mafia.
Farm workers in the Arvin and Bakersfield area stillremember the Werdell report which, stemmed out ._of4. EL MALCRIADO • June 15,1973
• hearings brought about by the National Farm Labor Unionduring the early '50s. One of the members of the congressional committee conducting the hearings was RichardNixon, who asked one of the union's organizers, ErnestoGalarza, "Don't the growers have as much right to organize as do the farm workers?" Nixon asked thisquestion as if organizing for exploiting others is thesame as organizing in defense against exploitation.
BoRDER PATROL CHARGED WITH CoRRUPTIONWASHING'JU'Il -- The United States Department of jus
tice has amassed evidence of Widespread corruption -ini one of its own branches, the southwest region of theI immigration and naturalization service government sourceshave told the New York Times.
The corruption, according to the sources. exists forthe most part along the 2000-mile U.S.-Mexico borderand immigration officers have been fotmd to be engagedin the following activities:• The smuggling of aliens into the U.S.• The smuggling of narcotics in the U.S.• The sale of documents.• Paroling aliens into the U. S. for illegal purposes.• The physical abuse of immigrants.
The evidence has come to light as a result of operationClean Sweep, an inquiry into the workings of the immigr:;tion service in the southwest.
investigations have also lUlcovered that members of theBorder Patrol, an enforcement arm of the Immigrationand Naturalization Service~ operate their own braceroprograms, supplying illegal Mexican labor to big growersin return for hunting privileges, cash payments andother personal gains.
, 'The best 'proof of eligibility to enter the U. S. fromMexico is money,'"' one agent said.
STRUGGLE IN SANTA MARIA VALLEY CoNTiNUESGrowers and Teamsters recently renegotiated their
seetheart contracts , again without a vote by the farmworkers. First contracts were signed during a. strikecalled by the UFW in 1970. In a twenty-four hour periodmost of the growers in the valley signed with the Teamsters Union in flagrant disregard for the demonstratedwishes of the workers.
Referring to an incident at the Adam R~ch in whichfarm workers .refused to sign with the Teamsters infront of the grower and the Teamster organizers, SantaMaria Union Office Director Paulino Pacheco said "Weadmire the bravery of these sisters and brothers."
GENERAL UtiION. HEADQUARTERS INAUGURATED
ft
The new Union offices in Texas were inaugurated in McAlien, Texas recently in the Rio Gracde Valley.
After two years of hard work by r;nany volunteers whosacrificed their weekends to work on the project. thecompeltion of the construction marked another step forward for Texas farm workes.
During the ceremonies celebrating the occasion. Bishopjohn Fitzpatrick of the Diocese of Brownsville, affirmedthe right offarm workers to have the Union of.their choice"Even if farm workers were the best paid in the countrythey would still have the right to unionize. just as businessmen and growers have the right to defend theirinterests. whether or not they are suffering." .
COACHELLA, California -- UnionDirector Cesar Chavez sent a tele~ram May 30 to newly-confirmed Attorney General Elliott L. Richardson asking him to "reopen the fileson the blatarit violations of law thathave occurred here in the fieldsof California."
When Richardson was confirmedMay 25 by the U. S. Senate he said:"This is a time when the institutions of our government are understress. In the administration ofjustice, the first concern must bethe individual and the second truth.The first of these demands fairnessand the second demands fearlessness. I shall do my utmost to befaithful to both."
Cesar's telegram challengesRichardson to live up to •his promise:
"In the spirit of equal justice andintegrity that you proclaimed ontaking over the Department of justice, we ask that you reopen thefiles on the blatant violations of lawthat have occurred here in the fieldsof California.
We urge you to review the testimony, before a San Franciscogran jury, of illegal pay-offs bygrowers to the Teamsters Union,that you initiate a vigorous investigation into these violations of antilabor racketeering laws.
We also urge that you investigate the bombing of Our Union offices in Delano, Hollister, Terra,Bella and the burning of our officein Calexico to determine whetheror not a conspiracy exists to intimidate or destroy us.
We also urge that you resumewith the utmost vigor investigationsof links between organized crimeand the Teamsters Union regardless of the close Political ties between the Teamsters and the' Administration.
We welcome your call to a return of integrity in our institUtions.and we believe that you can demonstrate 'your sincerity by eliminatingrampant corruption so clearly evident in California agriculture.
We pledge bur total cooperationin that endeavor."
Senator Harrison WilliamsChariman, Senate Labor and
Education CommitteeOld Senate Office BuildingWash~ngton, D.C. 20510
Pik'd Ripe Signs New Contract
Union members and supporters.urged to write to :
jority of Democrats serving on it.Cesar also charged local courts
and law enforcement officials withmaking illegal arrests of pickets,condoning violence. mistreating Union members, and fabricatingchrges in an attempt to breakfarm worker strikes.
Cesar called for a massive letter writing campaign to encourageth~ Democrats to initiate an inves-tigation. ,
"We must remind them that thenext time they come panhandlingfor farm worker votes, if theydon't help us now, they can goto hell later on:' he added.
"ALL THEY HAD TO DO IS SAY 'YOU ARE UNDER ARREST':' says Doctor john!Radebaugh recalling how he was attacked May 29 by several Tulare County Sheriffs'deputies while picketing at a Bob Hamilton ranch near Dinuba. A sheriff's deputy suddenly grabbed him, twisted his left arm' behind him. john pulled pack to protect hisarm because of an old injury and asked why he was being arrested. No answer.
Instead. more deputies jumped on him. roughed him up, handcuffed him, threw himinto a patrol car and took him to jail. '
The 70 strikers and Union supporters who were' on the picketline back john andsay that at no time was- he told he was under arrest, nor did he strike any officerand he was attacked without provocation. At first, john was charge with felonies;but the charges have been reduced to a misdemeanor by the county district attorney.
"I felt like a prisoner of war" he said. john is a doctor at the Union clinic in Sanger.
IDenJoc,ats Af,aid to Investigate'
Cesar Demands Investigation of Grower-Teamster, ' , Corruption
ARVIN. California -- "The Democrats, who are supposed to beour friends, are afraid to investigate our charges." Cesar Chavez.Union Director. told farm workersat a rally in Arvin May 31. (Seepage 6 for more on rally)
The U. S. Senate Labor and Wel- .fare Committee. he said. has sofar failed to investigate the Union'scharges of racketerring , payoffs,threats and bombings by the Team-
'sters and of a collusion betweenthe growers and the Teamsters tokill the Union. .
,The committee, headed by Sen.Harrison Williams (D) has a ma-
Anti-Loudspeake,O,dinance
as "very satisfactory to me."The field covered by the new con
tract is really owned by David WalshCompany, which is also being struck·by the Union, but Gerich bought therights to the crop. Cerich plansto buy or lease more strawberryfields and says he will re-negotiatewith the Union when the c~ntract
expires.According to David Burciaga.
: Union Director of Negotiations. anegotiating committee elected by theworkers participated in the talksleading to the new contract. Themembers of the committee were:Antonio D. Guevarra; jose Ortiz;jennie Gonzales; Connie Muniz; Antonio Sanchez; Noe Navarro; Antonio Guevara D.; jose M. Hernandez; Agustin Avila M.; and jackDeaton.
The strike continues against theDavid Walsh Company. DespiteWalsh's attempts to get enoughskilled workers into his strawberryfields with the help of labor contractors juan Gomez and TonyGuzman, he has already lost the freshstrawberry market and is beingforced to freeze his straWberriesat a lower profit.
May- june 1973 -- $1.25 per flat
july-August, 1973 -- $1.55 per flat
Sept.-Nov., 1973 -- $1.75 per flat
The contract also calls for the company's contributions to the RobertF. Kennedy Medical Plan, the FarmWorker Fund and a Pension Plan.
When asked why he signed a contract with the Union, Gerich repliedtha the Union's continued picketinghad posed problems for him in getting enough skilled workers to harvest the straWberries now ripe andready for picking.
He described the new contract
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S"el.2 ~flHIJ 00:J,(>1:I i t t l .l·~
SALINAS, California -- The Unionsigned a six-month contract withstrawberry grower Anthony Gerich.president of Pik'd Ripe, Inc., May 23covering about 300 workers after afour-month strike.
The contract provides for a minimum wage of $2.41 until juy 1,when it will go up to $2.45. Teamster contracts in the area set theminimum wage at $2.30.
The new contracts sets the following piece rates for strawberriespicked for freezing:
joe Rubio told the board ~e.ordinance was unconstitutional,' andth'at no one was informed it wasgoing to be passed. The boardpassed the ordinance May 29 without discussion.
Rubio said the aim of the ordinance was to cripple strike activity against several. growers inthe Dinuba-Selma area becauseloudspeaker systems are the onlyway to reach workers deep in thefields.
After some discussion, the boardagreed to hold a hearing on theordinance june 29 at the TulareCounty Courthouse in Visalia. Oneof the main questions that will beasked at the hearing is who madethe ordinance such an "emergency"and who pushed it through the board.
It is known that the Tulare CountySheriff's Department has had several meetings with the growerson what to do in case of strikesand Tulare County Sheriff Bob Wileysays he will "warn and then arrest"to enforce the ordinance.
180 FARM WORKERSCONFRONT TULARE COUNTYSUPERVISORS
,ViSALIA, California -, About 'l80'Tulare County Union membersforced the Tulare County Boardof Supervisor's june 5 to hold hearings on an ordinance the Boardpassed prohibiting tHe use of loudspeaker systems.
The Union members headed bySelma Office Director joe Rubioand Delano Office Director BenMaddox and accompanied by AFLCIO national representatives appeared at the board's regular session to protest the "emergencyordinance" the supervisors passedoutlawing "the human voice or anyrecording•••when amplified by any'device whether electrical or mechanical or otherwise to such anextent as to cause it to carryon to private property or to beheard !:iy others using public highways or pub!iC thoroughfares."
KERN COUNTY 'LAW OFFICIALS:
ABUSE OF- LEGAL PROCESS
Room For HopeMeetings between the Union, AFL
CIa national representatives, andsheriff's departments are takingplace. If fair treatment by thesheriff's deputies is achieved, thereis some room for hope that majortensions can be avoided when massive strike activity reaches the Sanjoaquin Valley later this season.. (....
ThurstonRacist and Prejudiced
Several times, Sergeant Thurstonhas demonstratea raciSt attitudestowards farm workers and prejudice towards Union volunteers. Onone occasion Thurston approachedLamont Union Office Director PabloEspinosa with a racist slur, saying:"Hey , Pablo, you' are looking ~
little sleepy. Too much 'cerveza(beer), eh?"
In another incident, Thurstonasked long-haired Union legal aidjohn Osborn, •'What alley did youcome from?" and refused to talkto him when Pablo Espinosa andjohn questioned him about the sheriff's department's unequal treatment of the strikers.
the arrests took place. Thurston'admitted his error when confronted'by Union attorney Tony Gaenslen,but said he would not change thecharges because it involved "paperwork", which "is not my department."
However, 'when he filed the case,he charged john and Susan with"obstructing a public highway."
But wimesses say that there wasno traffic on that road at the timeof the arrests and that john andSusan were not standing on theroad.
Sergean~ Howard Thurston
•
the number of persons that can picket at one time.
john Gibson arrived at the picketline, got out of his pickup and wentto talk to jim Lefever, one of the picketers.
Susan Heller, knOWing that johnwas on his way back to La Paz,the Union headquarters in Keene,went over to talk to him too.
At that moment Thurston rushedover in his patrol car, pointed afinger at john and Susan and said,"You and you are under arrest."
They told Thurston they wereon their way home. The otherwimesses, jim Lefever, josie Echavarria and Martina Contrerasbacked them, but were ignored.On their way to jail, the 'deputiesrefused to talk to them.
At the county jail, Susan wasasked by the matron, a Mrs. Tomlin,"What are the charges?"
"I don't know," Susan replied,"I wish someone would tell me."
"Oh, com'on," said Tomlin taunting her, "They just don't arrestpeople without telling them why."
"Sorry, but that's the truth,"protested Susan. She then explainedshe had been on a picketline.
"Oh, you are With Cesar Chavez?"asked the matron.
"Yes, I am.""Oh, now I understand every
thing," said Tomlin and immediatelybooked Susan With what appeared tobe a special code.
Susan again asked what thecharges were, and the matron toldher that she could tell her generallywhat the charges were, but not specifically.
Sergeant Thurston arrested Union And finally she told Susan she wasvolunteers john Gibson and Susan being charged with contempt of courtHeller May 18 for Violating a tem- ( for violating a temporaryporary restraining order that was restraining order). . .no longer in effect at the Kova- "But as it turns out, tl.le restrainingcavjch flilr~ ,near Arvin, limiting, ,Qrd~r w,as, n,o longer In effect ,,:,~e1J.
ThurstonFabricates Charges
While picketing at Kovacavich'speach orchard May 21 near Arvin,john Osborne, a Union legal aid,told some scabs they should beashamed of themselves for whatthey are doing--breaking the strike.
Suddenly 3 or 4 of the scabscame out of the fields armed withknives and formed a semi-circlearound him. One of them toldhim, "We are going to get yourass."
john said that two sheriff deputies were talking to Mary Bozina, Kovacavich supervisor, about30 feet away. He shouted at themfor assistance, but they did notrespond. Shirley Mandel, of theUnion's Computer Programing Department , wimessed the incident.
Condone Violence
to Quintana saying "Arturo, I havetwo complaints against you already.On the third one I'm going to takethat flag away from you and takeit to the office where you will notbe able to get it." ,
Quintana said, "Okay," and slowly turned around.' As he turnedaround, his flag may have brushedThurston's face. Thurston accusedQuintana of hitting him on the headwith the flag's staff and arrestedhim, and then changed his accusation, saying Quintana had hit himacross the face.
Quintana and the Witnesses pointout that if Thurston had been struckacross the face, his glasses wouldhave been knocked off. "Therewasn't so much as a scratch onhis face," they said.
But nevertheless, Thurston andthe other deputy sheriff grabbedQuintana and took him away.
Illegal ArrestsOn May 22 at 9:30 a.m., Arturo
Quintana was picketing at the Kovacavich ranch along with two otherpersons when Serg~~t HowardThurston of the SherIff s Department came by and warned the strikers to stay one hundred feet awayfrom each other as stipulated by thecourt injunction there.
According to Quintana and theother wimesses, Gregorio Cortezand Gayanne Fietinghoff, they cooperated with Thurston. QUintanawas talking to a scab when ThurstO,n, and a. deputy sheriff rushed up
-6 ... .£L,MAbCRIAQO, .·June,.l5,1973, ,
Hostile Attitude
ARVIN, California -- Speaking toa standing-room only crowd of farmworkers at the Arvin High SchoolAuditorium May 31, Union DirectorCesar Chavez accused local courtjudges of "usin~ and abusing theirpower to pass injunctions to breakour strikes" and that this is"illegal". .
Cesar directed his most pomtedwords at Kern County's SheriffDodge saying that Dodge is doingeverything possible to destroy theUnion because he, as well as thejuqges, are subservient to the interests of the growers.
"If Sheriff Dodge wants a fightwith the Union," he said, "we'llgive it to him. We are going. tofill the jails with ~ose damn m-junctions." ,
He drew enthusiastic applausewhen he added: "Weare going toput the spotlight of the entire worldon Kern County and see how they(the judges and the sheriff's department)will respond to the wholeworld. These men in Kern Countybetter face up to their responsibilities because we are fightingback."
Union attorneys also say thatin a number of specific instancesKern County law enforcement authorities failed to carry out theirjobs in an impartial manner. Unionattorney Tony Gaenslen ?aid,"There has been a hostile attitudeon the part of a number of members of the Kern County Sheriff'sDepartment. II
He said thch: since the strikesagainst Roberts Farms, john Kovacavich and Tenneco started, 54strikers have been arrested in KernCounty: 19 in one mass arrest;14 in another and 21 individual ar- Mistreat Union Peoplerests. Out of these he said, 7persons had been charged with fe- Union volunteer Roger Terronez,lonies by sheriff's deputies and 18, was stopped May 27 in Bakersall but one of the charges was re- field along with four other perduced to a misdemeanor. He charged sons: allegedly for reckless drivingthe original charges would not have by a "Kern County Sheriff's deputy.stood in court. Roger said the deputy approached
The Union legal department says the car with gun qrawn and accusedthat most of the arres,ts were ~e 'Roger of trying to escape. Otherresult of alleged violatIons of antI- deputies arrived. He was or~eredUnion injunctions that should not to put up his hands, was friskedhave been issued in the first place. and thrown into a car.
At a meeting with Sheriff Dodge Since Roger did not have a dri-,on May 18, Union attorney Tony ver's license on him, he was ques
Gaenslen charged the Sheriff's De- tioned about the car he was driving.pa~tment with an oppressive inter- "Where did you steal it?" he waspretation of certain clauses of the asked.injunction and with refusal to act When Roger complained about theor even to accept complaints by tighmess of the handcuffs , he wasUnion members when grower agents told to "shut up."violated the law. At the county jail, an officer,
Perhaps the greatest single fac- went through Roger's wallet , fo~dtor serving to exacerbate the feel- his Union membership card and saId,ings of pickets has been the ar- "You, are one of them, aren't you?bitrary arrest and hostile treat- Yeah, you are one of those Comment meted out to them by the munist people."Sheriff's Department. "What do you mean?" Roger re-
plied and told the officer "to goback to Europe." He was shovedinto a cell.
"1 was treated like an animal,"he recalls. He was in jail for threedays.
(Just before going to press, ELMALCRIADO received the followingreport from Union Vice- PresidentDolores Huerta, who co-ordinatesthe boycott throughout the easternhalf of the United States.)
OOSTONAll of the major food chain stores
have agreed to carry only Unionlettuce and grapes. They also gavea commitment to notcarryD'ArrigoBrothers products and any otherproduct the Union is boycotting.Boycott workers in the city arenow concentrating on the smallerchains.
.. _ New D'Arriga strIkers .. Ihey.walkd They walked out May 30\ '. "june' 15~ 1973 .:EL MALCrhADO. 7
BROOKLYNA Teams ter goon is facing charges
of assault with deadly weapon afterhe attacked a picketline at a Patmark store. The pickets wereteenagers, headed by Denise jaquet.Another picket·, jose Lopez, had hisnose broken on May 26 at anotherPathmark store. Ellen Caffreyof New jersey was arrested at aP athmark store for "molesting"the dignitylof the community:'
/
NEW YffiKMore than 1,000 stores are sup
porting the boycotts of lettuce andgrapes and over 2,500 are not carrying D'Arrigo Brothers products.There are 16 major chains, with·up to 175 stores ewch, supportingthe Union now.
The Consumer Affairs Dep~t
ment of New York City has filedcharges against A&P for more than300 violations. "They showed aconsistent pattern of non-availability in a substantial percentageof items advertised," the chargessaid. In addition to this A&Pis still facing charges for havingexcessive fat in their ground beef.
CHICAGOGovernor Walker of Illinois at
tenede a mass rally and told CesarChavez he would publicly supportsecret ballot elections to settle thedispute between the Union and theTeamsters. At a meeting calledby Charles Hays, a Vice-Presidentof the Meatcutters Union, Blackunion leaders pledged continued support of both the lettuce and grapeboycotts.
Charges were dropped against10 workers from the Arizona recallcampaign against Gov. jack Williams who were arrested while picketing an A&P store three weeks'ago. Charges are pending againstthree other pickets 'who were arrested for trying to get a meeting with'A&P officials. They were arrestedduring a sit-in in A&P's offices.
NEW JERSEY
Kings' Supermarkets have becomethe first chain to pledge Union support in this state.
In Trenton, an A&P store wasclosed by the State Health Department because it did not meet requirements of the state sanitarycode. Two pickets, Hector Galarzo and Oscar Mondragon, hadcharges dropped after they werearrested for carrying a huge. ban-ner which read "Where Exploitation Originates?" (A&P's sloganis: ;'Where economy originates.").
WEST VIRGINIAAn A&P manager maced some
youngsters who were picketing hisstore. That picketline was sponsored by the United Mine Workes.
fv1ARYlANDA Broken Hill A&P store was gi
ven six-months probation for sellingground beef which contained excessive fat.
DETROITThe Peace' Center has voted to
support the Gtape Boycott.
OHIOWestern Conference of Teamsters
President Einer Mohn was scheduled to speak to a group calledthe City Club, a weekly radio forum. Mohn cancelled out and wasto send his organi~ing director,Bill Grami, in his place. Whenpickets showed up, Grami, too, didnot show.
Eliseo Medina has moved to Ohioand brought 30 people from the Florida Boycott with him. They haveopened up several new offices andlast week turned away over 1,000customers. They are using a newslogan, "Help us get A&P off ourbacks:'
•
up."According to AFL-cIO Director
of Organization Bill Kircher, thegrowers worries are just starting.The AFL-CIO's $1.6 million strikecontibution to the United Farm Workers "is a beginning, not an end.An AFL-cIO constitutional proviston allows us to give another$L6 million. Our constitution allowsus to prOVide 4 cents per membermonthly for up to six months."
"And we haven't even begun to .tax the members,"he said. "Thisfinancial support comes out of duesthey have already paid."
"If the growers have the guts,"Bill went on, "They could tell theTeamsters they were mistaken originally and that the United FarmWorkers represents the majority oftheir workers, and they're callingthe Teamster contracts off."
He said the growers wouldn'thave to be concerned about Teamster reprisals, "legal or otherWise,because the climate of public opinionis a deterrant that would preve:ltthe Teamsters from doing anythingthat would make them look morefoolish."
AFL-CIO Strike Support
Brewers\Ne.rried
INDIO, California -- "I neverthought the AFL-CIO would get involved like they have, " said Henry J. Reider, general manager forcm (Coachella-Imperial Distributors), commenting on the $1.6 millionthe AFL-CIO contributed to theUnion's strike fund. cm is a firmthat manages the vineyards andmarkets grapes for 23 independentCoachella Valley growers.
Grower Charlie Keyan, who operates Key-Kas Ranches, said., 'Those strike benefits really change
.things. They could get enough workers to join the strike now so thatthey really could cripple the crop."
Reider said growers already havemade "tremendous investments" inthis year's grape crop.
"I've got at least a half-millioR'dollars invested in this cropalready," he said. "My payrollhas been running about $65,000 or$70,000 a week since April 16 whenwe started thinning, and we had spenta lot of money before that withspraying and dusting the crop."
In addition to costs, Reider saidUnited Farm Workers' activity "hasaffected the quality of the(thi.nning) work and run our. costs
Union organizer Marshall Ganz presents some of theAFL-CIO national representatives who have come to helpthe Union in the fight against the growers and Teamsters.
Angeles CountyCentral Labor Council and secretary of the Amalgamated Meat Cutters in Los Angeles; Bill Soltero, president of theLaborers Union in Arizona who ispresently working with the Union inthe Coachella Valley; Samuel Rodriguez, secretary-general of theConfederation of Mexican Workers(CTM); Nick Kurko, AFL-CIO regional director , Texas, who ispresently co-ordinating the efforts
of the AFL-CIO representatives in'the valley; State Senator Mervin
Dymally and Assemblyman RichadAlatorre, both of Los Angeles.
Two chicano theater groups fromSan Diego State University, singinggroups, and a mariachi band performed for the people.
The 1,500 pounds for the barbecue that was served was donatedby the Amalgamated Meat Cuttersof Los Angeles and the bread by theL.A. Bakery Workers.
Cesar Chavez and Bill Soltero join the crowd in singing"We Shall Overcome."
"I have 'mucho dinero','· says the grower to farm workers during an act by the TeatroMestizo of San Diego State University.
INDIO, California -- "We havethe strength. Without our hands,without our sweat, the grapes cannot be picked. If we understandthis clearly, we will win veryquickly." With these words, UnionDirector Cesar Chavez renewed hisstrike call as he spoke to the2,000 farm workers and theirfamilies who filled the Taj Mahalat the fairgrounds in Indio May 28.
\NITHDUT US THE BRAPES CAN'TBE PICKED!the Teamsters have not been ableto win over the people and havenot been able to provide enought.scabs to replace strikers. At thesame time, the Teamsters campaignin the Coachella Valley is turningout to be a~ost!y affair.
"The growers have committeda grave error," said Cesar, "Theythought that the workers no longerwanted the Union because some ofthem had grievances against it. But
Accompanied by shouts and ac- -it is proper that workers haveclamations from an enthusiastic grievances and present them. Andcrowd Cesar warned foremen who the growers thought that becauseoppos~ La Causa that this time they had their grieva~ces,they were"it won't be like in 1970. By ready to kick us out.'necessity we will have to disci- He' finished with a personal callpline those that break the strike, to all grape pickers t? registerpossibly by the loss of their jobs. inimediately in the strike, so that
Cesar reported that the growers they can start· receiving their.strikeare "really scared" because they. benefits.did not expect the AFL-CIO to give Several union leaders and legisout Union such strong backing. The latures voiced their support for thegrowers are now getting angry at Union. Among them were: J. J.the Teamsters, he said, because Rodriguez, president of the Los
CESAR TELLS 2,(0) COACHELlA VALLEY FARM hORKERS:
8. EL MALCRIADO • June 15,1973 June 15,1973 • EL MALCRIADO. 9
FOOD FOR TIlE STRIKE.
Striker Jose Castillo informedE L MALCRIADO that a group ofMexican farm workers held a convention May 20 in Mexicali duringwhich they declared their solidaritywith the Union.
Attending the convention wererepresentatives from the Mexicanstates of Vera Cruz. Puebla. Michoacan, Jalisco. Nayarit. Sinaloa.Sonora. and Baja California.
CONVENTION IN MEXICALIThe Bakersfield Newspaper Guild
recently passed a resolution supporting the Union and donated $50 tothe strike fund after hearing Unionorgnizers Pancho Botello and Beatriz Martinez speak. The StocktonNewspaper GUILD also went onrecord in support of the UnionMay 12 after an appearance at theirmeeting by Union Vice- PresidentPete Velasco. .
AMALGAMATED QOTHING WORKERS OF AMERICA, AFl-CIO15 Union Square. New YorI<, New York 10003
A UNION OF MASTER CRAFTSMEN IN:MEN'S AND BOYS' SUITS/OVeRCOATS/PAJAMAS/SHIRTS
LEISURE WEAR/SPORTSWEAR/OUTERWEAR/CHILDREN'S WEARWORK CLOTHES/UNIFORMS/NECKWEAR /GLOVES
WE'VE JUST BEGUN TO RGHT!
Ask Jose Hernandez. Or Manuel Rivera. Or Pedro Diaz. Ask themand thousands of other Farah Manufacturing Co. workers who areout on strike. Ask them what they want for Father's Day.
"Justice!': "Dignity!" "Freedom!" Justice and dignity on thejob - freedom to join a union of their choice, to win decent wagesand working conditions, to live and work free of intimidation andharassment!
These men do not have the same rights enjoyed by millionsof other workers throughout this land. That is why the U.S. labormovement is going all-out to aid the Farah strikers..
Tens of thousands of union members, backed by local community and religious leaders will be demonstrating against Farahproducts today and tomorrow in front of stores across the countrythat continue to sell Farah slacks - to protest the unfair labor practices of the Farah Company!
Join them! They need your help. Don't buy Farah pants forFather's Day, or any other day!
. NEWSPAPER GU ILD SUPPORT
violating a city ordinance prohibiting public dances. which Cesarsaid was unconstitutional.
In discussions leading to the passage of the ordinance by the citycouncil, Indio's Assistant Chief ofPolice claimed that grape strikers• 'like to gather at dances wherefighting always results."
The Union went to three superiorcourt judges to get an injunctionexcluding the Union from the ban.but they wouldn't hear the case.The municipal court judge was finally appointed superior court judgeto hear the case and decided against the Union.
The Union announced itwould'holdthe dance anyway and police threatened mass arrests. But afterCesar and Helen were not arrested.everyone joined in the dancing andhad a good time.
ORGANIZINGINYOLO COUNTY
EL MALCRIADO has receivedword that an organizing drive isnow in progress among Yolo Countyfarm workers in Northern California. According to the report.farm workers are enthusiastically"signing with Chavez."
The organizers. whose namescannot yet be published. said theyhad en encounter recetnly with theMadison Migrant Labor Camp inMadison. The camp manager interrupted a meeting they were havingwith farm workers in one of thecabins. He kicked in the door.forced his way into the cabin shouting "We don't permit politics aroundhere."
HIT BY TEftMSTER GOON
lews Briefs
WANTS HIGH RENT
0'Arrigo filed a lawsuit againstthe Union May 31 charging thatworkers violated the Union contr act when they took a day offto help picket Tenneco. Accordingto Delano Union Office Ben Maddox.whenever a company official diesor if the company decides to havea party all work stops. but the"growers get upset because workers are making up their own mindsand sometimes decide to take offfrom work for personal reasons.such as defending their union."
D'ARRIGO LAWSUIT
Teamster goon Larry Kirchner.Jr., hit Union picket Rudy Reyes inthe nose as he taled to Filipino
orkers about~linicbenefits at theTenneco - Ducor farm. Kirchnerwas arrested by sheriff's deputiesand later released.
Union Director Cesar Chavez andhis wife Helen, danced at the rallyin Indio May 28 (see pages 8-9)
Grower Milton Karahadian, in aneviction summons to striker Pompeyo Alvarado is asking damages of$5.00 per day which he claims isthe rental value of the house Alvarado lives in, which amounts to$150 a month. Alvarado says thetwo-bedroom house is barely worth$75 a month. "But I'm not gettingout," he said, "1 don't want somescab to take my place."
Val ley Vineyards workers donated $200 to theCoachella Val ley Strike Fund.
'lbl• "EL"MALCR1AV& -:rurt~"15,1973
FIGHT DANCE PROHIBITION
r, ,••
Gallo AdmitsUnion
'RepresentsWorkers
accused the Teamsters of sellingout workers, offering phony benefits, and trying to restore the labor contractor system. And whenthe crowd arrived, the TeamstersqUickly saw that they have no business messing ~ith farm workers.They retreated to their three newCatalinas, handily parked nearby,with one Teamster meekly flashingthe peace sign.
In the midst of this, the day'snegotiating session had adjourned,the four company representatives.on their way to their Livingston
Ranch headquarters, couId not misswhat was happening only 100 feetaway. The Union negotiators andthe Negotiating Committee joinedthe workers in the demonstration.Thee could be no doubt in theminds of company officials or theTeamsters as to who represents theGallo workers.
Mexicans. Anglos and Portuguese, those Gallo workers, led byBasilio Cahvez, Jose Villasaez,Clyde Huckobey, Bob Abbott, MarioVargas. and Frank Perry, and organized by tri-lingual LivingstonOffice Director Aggie Rose, arespirited. determined and outragedat the thought of losing their unionto what may be yet another Teamster-grower conspiracy. And thereis no doubt that the Gallo workerswill win.
LIVINGSTON, California -- Acrowd of 125 aroused Gallo worker's showed eight Teamster organizers what union they want as they.drove them away May 11 from a meeting the outsiders were conductingon company property in Livingston.The Teamsters left the scene withshouts of "Chavez Si, Teamsters,No:' "Huelga i, and "Get the hellout of h~re" ringing in their ears•.
The abortive meeting had beguneven as UFW negotiators, led byDavid Burciaga, were in sessionwith company representatives in thefifth in a series of talks to renegotiate the six-year-old contractwhich expired on April 19.
Gray-haired Jim Smith and hisseven young, showcase chicano andfilipino cohorts from the "WesternConference of Teamsters Agricultural Workers OrganiZing Committee" in Stockton and Fresno were·were grrogantly boasting of their·$300 a week salaries and cockilydescribing the features of theirso-called contracts.
But the ten workers who hadbeen persuaded to come and listento the Teamsters rejected the shallow bribes and disputed their claims.
Along with Bobby de la Cruz,who had been fired from his jobat Gallo two weeks earlier, and JuanPerez of the Union staff, also present at the open-air meeting, they
WORKERS ROUTTEAMSTERS AT GALLO
Differenceswith the company
The workers, the vast majoritystrong Union members, began tohavs serious doubts about the company's good intentions. These doubtswere further aroused when RobertJ. Gallo,. one of the company owners,sent a letter to the workers May18 telling them "you are in the mid~dIe of a contest between two unions.'~
"You will not lose your job forsigning, or not signing a union card.You have been told the company isclose to reaching agreements on anew contract. The company is notclose to an agreement with anyunion," Gallo wrote••
Serious doubts
Cesar demands elections
He also threw Frank Perry, anothermember of the committee, to the
ground. Negotia~ons stalled May I4~.
Perhaps not by accident, the"Teamster problem"paralleled theemergence of differences betweenthe Union the company on some basic issues.
The company wants to abolish thehiring hall and so far, refuses toextend the Union contract to allof its subsidiaries. The companywants to undermine Union securityby establishing a 3o-day probationperiod in which a worker could befired for any reason without recourse to grievance procedures.·
David Burciaga says workers aredispatched anew before every phaseof work and they would be continuallyunder probation . and in dangerof losing their jobs, if the company's proposals were accepted.
Commenting on the company'sproposals, he said, "Maybe this isone of the reasons the Teamsters arearound. This is the type of contract language acceptable to the
.Teamsters , in which workershave no job security."
E. & J. Gallo Winery has 10,000acres in crops, including 1,500 acresin apples. From the apples, Galloproduces ,. Boone's Farm", untilnow, the company's most popular'seller in the "pop-Wine" field•
•.l~, ¥.
Coll us ionwith the company
In another incident, Horonato Pimientel , a Union member who issiding with the company, told thenegotiating committee he was working for the Teamsters in collusionwith the company. The negotiating committee is comprised ofworkers elected by the generalmembership at Gallo and attendsnegotiating sessions with the company.
On May 13, Pimientel threatened·the negotiating committee and spaton one of the members, Jose Villasaez, ro:td threw qipi t~. 91~ p-ound.-.
• l ,1.) 0:.... ... J.J. ... t #.. ..
After he saw a copy of the letter.Union Director Cesar Chavez sentGallo a telegram stating. "We donot agree 'with your position thatthere exists a contest between two'unions, as to which Union represents
:the company's workers•••.'·" ... There seems to be some doubt
in your mind," -Cesar wrote. "asto which Union represents the workers; we are demanding an immediate election supervised by an outside party acceptable to_ both the
Teamster organizers came to company and the Union."Gallo's Fresno operation May 10,. When the demand was publicizedtalked with ranch superintendent in the newspaper, the FRESNO BEE•.Ferd Bernardi, and proceeded into Gallo could not be reached-for comthe fields. They were asked to ment.leave by the workers. When the Gallo sent the Union a telegramUnion confronted the company with stating there had been a misunderthe incident at the May 11 nego- standing. "the Teamsters do nottiating session, the company re- represent our workers," and neplied Bernardi had probably not gotiations would be resumed at anybeen informed of .company policy. .time. When negotiations resumed
On another occasion company May 29. the Union pressed the elecsupervisor Bill Wolgamo'tt arranged tion issue, but the company admittedfor a Teamster meeting to take place . the Union represents the workers.at Union member Fred Huckobey'scompany-owned house. David Burciaga went to the meeting to find theworkers very. upset and trying torun the Teamsters off companyproperty. But a company supervisor, Alberto Cardenas. told theworkers that the Teamsters had aright to· be there and even challenged some of the workers to afist fight.
Teamsters were seen in frontof the company ranch superintendentBill Heuer's house. The follOWingday the Teamsters had the namesand addresses of all the workersat Gallo's Snelling Ranch.
Supervisorslet Teamsters in
Teamster intrusions
. LIVINGSTON, California -- "Wehave no reason to believe that anyone other than you (UFW) representf.our workers," said Bob Deatrik,chief negotiator for E. & J. G.alloWinery, to Union Director of Negotiations David Burciaga and Research Director Jim Horgan duringa negotiating session May 29.
He told David and Jim that "wehave never departed from our position--and that's why we are sitting down with you--that you represent our workers."
The admission came after negotions stalled for '5 days as a resultof at least five 'T'- amster intrusionsonto company property, in somecases with express consent .of com-
.pany supervisors.The -Union contract expired April
18 and the workers agreed to continue working during negotiatons aslong as the company stuck to itspolicy of not permitting neither Union organizers nor Teamsters onto its fields. Teamsters wereseen entering Gallo fields as earlyas April 25.
Fitzsimmons meets withMafia figures
Part of the investigations havecenter on meetings at La Costaand in Palm Springs attended bythe Teamsters president and knownMafia figures Sam Sciortino, Peterj. Milano, joe Lamanchi, LouRosanova and several others.
Investigators are still probinginto the mob-union real estate dealsand plans for the prepaid legal service, similar to a program reportedly being set up with a pensionfund. loan in Minnesota.
Pension fund frauds and racketeering are nothing new to the Teamsters Union. They h'ave plagued theunion for almost a quarter of a century.
This is the union the growershave picked for farm workers because' 'Teamster leaders are moresophisticated than UFW leaders inrunning a modern trade union."Their contracts with the Teamstersmay prOVide no security or protections for farm workers, but theydo provide that the growers pay15 cents per worker per hour intothe Teamster pension fund.
West Coast R&R (rest and recuperation) center for all sorts of hoodsfrom throughout the country."
Teamster President Frank Fitzsimmonswith President Richard Nixon
So Widespread is the evidenceof fraud and schemes for lootingTeamster pension funds throughillicit finders,fees, payoffs and kickbacks that an investigation is under way on two fronts--federal andlocal--into at least four Mafia operations , reportedly bankrolledby Teamster money in Los Angeles,Las Vegas, Chicago and DetrOit.
$1.4 billion in pensionfunds open to Mafia
The focal point of the probe isthe scheme to loot the. $1.4 billionCentral States, Southeast and Southwest Teamsters Pension Fund.The fund is headquartered in Chicago· and is comprised of contributions--currently $14 a week peremploye -- paid by employerscovered by Teamster contracts.
One high-ranking federal officialsaid, "My observation is that theTeamster (pension) fund is sort ofan open bank to people well-connected in Las Vegas and well-connected in organized crime."
Millions of pension fund dollarshave been lent to build Las Vegascasinos and developments like theTeamster - financed La CostaCountry Club near CarLbad inSan Diego County, described by ajustice Department attorney as "the
ber Teamster union and that Fitzsimmons is President Nixon'sstrongest supporter within the labor movement.
Not only does the Teamster President enjoy a political alliance withPresident Nixon, but also closefriendships with former Atty. Gen.john N. Mitchell, a central figurein the Watergate scandal, and withhis successor as attorney general,Richard G. Kleindienst, who alsoresigned because of Watergate.
The Nixon-Fitzsimmons romancewas first kindled on june 21,1971when they posed for photographersand Nixon said; "My door is alwaysopen to PreSident Fitzsimmons andthat is the way it should be."
The romance has flourished:At the Teamster convention july
5,1971, james D. Hodgson, then secretary of Labor, told the Teamsters the doors to various government agencies would be opened tothem."
Through the efforts of presidential assistant john D. Ehrlichman,Atty. Gen. Mitchell (both deposedbyWatergate) and White House counselCharles W. Colson (also linked toWatergate), former Teamster president james Hoffa, who was serving a l3-year sentence for pensionfund fraud and jury tampering, wasfreed by Nixon.
Nixon-Fitzsimmonsromance
They point out that the Administration courted the 2-million-mem-
Moneyfor Nixon re-election
Fitzsimmons announced july 17,1972 the Teamsters Union supportedNixon's re-election. It is estimatedTeamster contributions to the Nixon campaign totaled as much as$250,000.
Former Teamster presidentDavid Beck, who went to prison in1962 for tax fraud, received a moratorium on paying $1.3 million inback taxes. john B. Connally, thenNixon's secretary - treasurer, arranged the deal in exchangefor Teamster support of Nixon'santi-labor economic policies.
Members of the Nixon Administration pay trib~te to Fitzsimmonsat dinners well-attended by a largenumber of persons with criminalrecords and others identified byinvestigators as "musclemen".
Too late to quash probeThe Nixon administration refuses
a Wire-tapping request in a FBIprobe of Teamster-Mafia ties because it was producing informationpotentially damaging or embarrassing to Fitzsimmons.
However, Nixon's attemptto quashthe probe came too late. The FBIaffidavit in which the Wire-tappingrequest was made was leaked tothe press, bringing the entire caseinto public view.
F ~\ g6:\~~~S~.~A~9 " ~~~~, \~' ~ny
In a recent issue, EL MALCR,IADOreported how the Nixon Administrationi s tied in with the Teamstersand Growers in a conspiracy todestroy the Union. On May 30,Union DirectorCesar Chavez askednewly-confirmed U. S. Attorney General Elliot Richardson to investigate, regardless of the close political ties between the Teamstersand the Nixon Administration, antilabor racketeering by growers andTeamsters, attacks on Union offices, and links between the Teamsters Union and organized crime.
The next da;y an article appearedin the L. A. Times making newdisclosures about Teamster-Mafiadealings that seem to make no difference to President Nixon as hecontinues his cozy relationship withTeamster president Frank Fitzsimmons.
ThenWith Mafia,
With lilon
Teamster Boss
Green light to the MafiaIn light of mounting evidence
pOinting to Nixon's ·complicity in theWatergate Operation and the largenumber of Nixon's high officials whohave been ousted as a result ofthe scandal, it is easy to understand the suspicions aroused bya . situation in which Fitzsimmonc;huddles with a man identified bythe FBI as a major Mafia figure,then several hours later boardsAir Force One with President Nixon for a fiight to Washington.
The suspicions grow when, inChicago, the Illinois Legislative Investigation Commission files an intelligence report quoting a federalinvestigator as saying the NixonAdministration decided not to prosecute Fitzsimmons· son, Richard(a Detroit Teamster official), in afraud case "due to ... the 'love af-·fair' between Fitzsimmons and theWhite House.'- .. An FBI agent who reviewed thereport and who is investigating widespread Teamster-Mafia financialdeals says;
•'This whole thing of the Teamsters and the mob and the WhiteHouse is one of the scariest thingsI've ever seen. It has demoralizedthe bureau. We don't know whatto expect out of the justice Department."
The fact is that because of Wa-. tergate and the warm Fitzsimmons
relationship with the White HOUSel,some federal and local lawenforcement officers seriously questionwhether the Nixon Administrationis committed to uncovering whatthey say is a major scandal--Mafia schemes to loot the Teamsters'Union's Central States, Southeastand Southwest Areas Pension Fund,.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Called ','New Hitler"
International NewsJ
Pilots' 'Wi~ve~ Fight to Stop ,Indochina Bombings
-'4ft'6 more nracticsl to divide the profits smong2000gtJntIfII" thsn among 10 miIion-BnaiIiantI.~6 I I \..j ~ , •
•lun"! 15,T973 • EL MALCRIADO • 13
Farah Strikers-Mexican
Workers In Sol idarityA group of workers on ~U"ik.~
against Farah in EI Paso, joinedin a demonstration of Mexican workers demanding tnat the governmentthere do something to stop therapid increases in prices. Theyalso demanded a 40-hour work week.
Tony Sanchez, who led the Farahstrikers' delegation said theymarched with their Mexican brothers to show their solidarity, bebecause they support the Farahboycott.
Most ProfitablePart of the World--Asia
SAN FRANCISCO, California(TNS) -- The U.S. Department ofCommerce reports that U.S. directinvestments in manufacturing weremore profitable in Asia than inany other region of the world, andthat U. S. direct investment is increasing at a faster rate ,in Asiathan in any other region.
U. S. investments in manufacturingin 1971 showed 16.2 % profit in Asia,as compared to 11.5% in Europe and10.1% in Latin Americc.. Figuresare based on net earnings as apercent of book value of directequity investments.
Direct investment has increased118.5% in Asia from 1966-71, 84.8%in ~frica and 70.5% in Europe.
When manufacturing investmentsare combined with other U. S. investments, the Middle East andAfrica top Asia in profitability ,largely because of oil investments.
Brazilian WomenUsed as Guinea
Pigs ,By US Drug Firms-BAHIA, Brazil (WS) -- North
American and Brazilian doctors areusing Brazilian women as guineapigs in testing the effects of a newcontraceptive pill.
The project is based at the BahiaUniversity Medical School, whichia partly financed by the FordFoundation.
This charge was made by a localdoctor whose name must be withheld. He stated that for more thana year a team of Brazilian doctorsunder U. S. supervision have beenconducting experiments at the Climerio de Oliveira Clinic in Salvador, capital of Bahia State, usinga contraceptive pill whose effectsare still unknown.
According to the physician, thereis a law in the U.S. prohibiting suchexperimentation, which has leadthe big drug firms to use LatinAmericans for guinea-pigs.
He said the Family Welfare Society is the main Brazilian recipientof funds to support population control plans. The funds come throughthe International Planned Parenthood Federation, which financessome 72 Brazilian organizations.
Another important organizationis the Population Council set upin 1952 by john D. Rockefeller,which has provided $1l7,OOO to Brazilian universities and laboratoriesfor research on fertility and birthcontrol.
SAN FRANCISCO, California -'The National Committee for theRestoration of Civil Liberties in
the Philippines issued a statementMay 22 pledging its full support toall of those who hJlve been black-
-listed by the Marcos dictatorshipand its representatives here in theUnited States.
The statement was prompted bythe resignation May 18 of RupertoBaliao, 47, acting Consul Generalof the Philippines in Los Angeles,to protest the "dictatorship policies" of President Ferdinand Marcos.
Baliao, who asked for politicalasylum in the Uq.ited States, signeddocument denouncing the suppression of the civil liberties of
The wives of the pilots that' dailycontinue bombing Indochina fivemonths after the signing of the
,peace agreement, are organiZingto stop the bombings and to bringtheir husbands home again.
Women from different air baseshave been in contact with attarniesand senators in order to put pres-
the Pilipino people by Marcos' dictatorship.
Baliao called Marcos :"the ,-new Hitler" and exposed the existence of an espionage network directed from the Philippine Embassyin Washington, D. C.
: He said the network is chargedwith collecting the names and activities of Pilipino leaders and civillibertarians here in the UnitedStates.. '
He presented a list of ISO nameswhich he said forms part of thePhilippine government blacklist,names of Philippine citizens whoselives and/or freedom would bein danger if they returned to theirhomeland.
According to the NCRCLP state'ment in support of Baliao, "the
iure on the Nixon Administration.Their husbands are supporting
~their efforts and many refuse to'go on bOmbing missions. The pilotsat the air force base in Guamcall themselves POG's, Prisonersof Guam.
The Nixon Administration, completely discredited by the Watergate scandal, stands isolated in
arbitrary blacklisting of people herein the U. S. is a reflection of whatis going on in the Philippines. Thereare now at least 8,261 political prisoners who several months ago,were languishing in the known Philippine concentration -camps, manyof whom were originally arrestedon the flimsiest of charges andNOOE of whom have yet been givena fair and democratic tria!."
, 'The arbitraty blacklisting revealed by Mr. Baliao," the NCRCLPsaid,"and the
Jcontinuing espionage
is a glaring attempt on the partof the Marcos dictatorshiD to terrorize and harass the Philipino- American community and extend themartial law dictatorship tc Philipinosand Philipino-Americans in theUnited ·States."
his criminal bombing policies.'Both the House of Representatives
and the U. S. Senate have voted to-cut off funds for bombings in Indochina.
Meanwhile, the U.S.' - supported'dictatorship in Camboltia, which wasset up with CIA help, is about tofall to liberation forces.
{,l"der fo;' ) _
or luor.ev
"!i th llV order I am
enclosinq a checl:
{:;S.QO a bundle P'1E-OAIO}
1Ye.\.~ mv~o~~U<!>ol\J"" "'~"'~~~o. ,-
Keene. Ca" 93531
Cordially,
Dan McCorquodaleSupervisor, Third DistrictCounty of Santa Clara
I agree very strongly with youthat E;L MALCRIADO can be aninstrument of struggle and a meansby which farm workers can expressthemselves. I, wish you the best ofluck in this regard, and if you areback in San Jose at any time or if1 can be of assistance in any way,please feel free to contact me.
We 'HUELGUISTAS 'from Coachellaand Salinas,we had a good time
Although we were in jail,SO WHAT'our spirit was always outsid~-
Well my Carnales,LA CAUSA SE VA A GANAR,Cause we know que los
'Teamsters' no todaLa Raza pueden comprarSI, SE PUEDE-
Send ne:
• P.O. Rox 62 •EL "IA,LCR IAllO
__bundle(s) of 50 issues ~:ith issues in Enolish and issues in Soanish.
__ bundle{s) of 50 issues in Enalish.
__ bundle(s) of 50 issues in Spanish.
I want to help distribute EL 'tAlCRIAOO.
CITy STATE ZIP _
A~DqESS _
r1:'I'lf ------------'---------
EL nALCRIAon is Dublished every two ~eeks. Send this foro '-lith your order as sl)on aspossible so that you'll receive your neloispiH'lprs on tir;e. .
<;en·j vOllr or'Jer to:
I see my Raza, campesinosworking together to unite,Our leader is Cesar Chavez,Because we know he is
on our side-
We are-farm workers,Chicanos, ready to fight"From Salinas to CoachellaWe are on STRIKE
When the'Division del Norte'got to Coachella,We learned what suffering
and having a good time is like.
---- _•._------,
------ [,,<.,,111' ur.lerlon: onlyifllwrel,ntlli \l\I(-KI\IJlICoII 1lIt"f'ln)ourCO/l unny.I---__
Letter to Hijinio Rangel
My People
Dear Hijinio:. I . -see by reading the April 20thedition of EL MALCRIADO thatyou are now the director of organization for this paper. I hopethat this position will prove rewarding to you and that you willbe able to further the cause of economic independence for the farmworkers in this position.
Now that I have been elected tothe Board of Supervisors, 1 am notas active now as I was or as muchas I would like to be; however,1 still do what I can to help thecause.
Official Voice of the United farm Workers
Yngvar ChristophersenOslo, Norway
flower is regarded as a rare sourceof luck to the finder and especiallyto one that possible gets the floweras a gift. I hope it will mean someluck to you in your Great Struggle.Viva.
Published every twO weeks as the •Official voice of the:
UNI'rnD FARM WORKERSAFL-CIO
No subscription orders acceptr:dBulk ot1Ser ot SO prepaid only $5.00
P lease specifySpanish or EngUsh e4tdon
Sincerely,
La paz i?o. Box 62Keene, c.wornta 9~31
Il ~AlClI"O
Taylor TronbridgeVenice, California
I am rigorously supporting yourboycott of Safeway stores. I wasa regular customer of the Safewaystore at Lincoln and Rose. Several.months ago I heard of the boycott,and have not bought anythingsince. Enclosed are the receipts "from the other grocery stores. Youmay send them to Safeway.
Best of luck with your boycottsand to your union. I am a loyalsupporter.
Gentlemen,
Sends Receipts
Yours in Chris~s Service,
Mrs. JayHoddinott,ProjectDirectorUnited Methodist--"Reach Out"Woodsfield, Ohio
Dear friends,
Enclosed pleas find my checkfor $5.00 for which please sendme a bundle of 50 copies of ELMALCRIADO. I shall be givingthem out to the youth at our ReachOut:; who will be observing and participating in work with the agricultural migrants as part of theirstudy of Christians and the Responsible Use of Power.
I thank you.
(Enclosed with the letter were receipts representing $221.90 Safewaylost in a four-month period for justone customer. Mutiply this by hundreds of thousands of customersand it is easy to understand why
,Safeway has been so uptight aboutthe boycott--EL MALCRIADO.)
FARM WORKERFORUM
Mr. Nixon,
Letter to the Pr"esident
I found this flower today, when myolder brother, Helge, your boycottorganizer in Norway, celebrated hisbirthday. I first thought to give itto him, but then thought that you certainly would need it much more.
It is the very first time in my13-year-long life that I have foundthis kind of flower (firklover we callit in Norwegian) with four leaves.
Usually they have only three. Itis very seldom one finds four leaveson this common wood flower. Always when that does happen, the14. Et·MALCR1AOO··.··'Jurle·1S;19Y3' .',',',
Sincerely,Kathy KennedyLong Beach, California
Honorable strikers.
Orders MALCRIADO
Good Luck Flower
I have just finished working fourmonths with the United Farm Workers Union. Since you are opposedto the boycott which are now engagedin, I wonder if you intend to include the farm workers and theirfamilies in your reported presentadministration objectives to "advance the nation's health and education,"create "more livable communities, in which ALL (my emphasis) of our chilrdren can growup with fuller access to opportunityand greater immunity to the socialevils and blights which now plagueso many of our towns and cities."
In many rural communities, thecourts, with their restraining ordersand injunctions, cooperate with thegrowers to keep the workers' livingand working conditions poor. TheUnion has found that, against suchodds, the only effective weaponscan be non-violence and economicpressure.
Good faith negotiations on the partof growers have not been voluminous.
Safeway and A&P strores are theke"ys to the farm y.'orkcrs' obtainin1tUnion lettuce contracts because theyare the two largest grocery chains.They can use their positions inobtaining justice and dignity forfarm workers by stocking Union lettuce. I hope that you see the needfor representative contracts.
The California Supreme Courthas recently ruled that the "sweetheart" contracts signed in '70 byTeamsters and growers do not "represent" farm workers and thus,there is no jurisdictional disputebetween the two unions.
I request that you urge the cooperation of thes two major storesso that farm workes may have afairer, healthier, safer environment.
In your plan- to "increase productivity" in this country and to"keep farm income high," don'tforget those "who suffer and yes,die in the process of accomplishing that, as there were those whosuffered and died and still do inyour war production.
•. I
Zip
All buttons .35
State
RALLY FLAG
HFLAG $1.00
CHAVEZ pamphlet: Twoarticles by Peter Matthiessen are combined to givea thorough biographicalsketch of Cesar' Chavez.#NYA .50
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#I:lU I'
Make checks payable to TALLER GRAFICO
City.
men."
CESAR CHAVEZ poster:An enlarged photograph of
CHAVEZ WITH WORKers: A beautiful color photograph showing CesarChavez with farm workersin a vineyard outside Delano. "The time has comefor the liberation of thefarm worker," HClG $1.50
!tAU J)
Price
Beautifully sculptured inblack and gold./fEAGP $1.50
Quan.
Proclaim your loyalty, wear a fnrm \Varkel' hutton.
HUELGA, the first bookwritten on the grape strike,"The First Hundred Daysof the Great Delano GrapeStrike" is an exciting, dayby day account of whathappened when farmworkers struck, and eventually conquered themighty table grape industry of Delano, HHUEL $1.00
BASTA: A compelling pic- torial history of the greatmoments of the grapestrike, including the famous march from Delanoto Sacramento.
.fI:lAS $2.00
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Address
Sincerely,Raymond W. Oram , Jr.East Lansing, Michigan
Makes SuggestionsEditors,
The recent issue of ELMALCRIADO I have read and supportyour union's recent activities. Youractions are historical for the liberation and defense for a reasonableand ,respectful living.
I was talking with a United FarmWorker representative in East Lansing, Michigan. We taled for a fewminutes and I signed a petition toimpeach Nixon.
I have an understanding of the California and Arizona Union activism.But for me to be more alert of youractivities send a copy of the illegalcontract signed between Teamstersand lettuce growers--if you canacquire a contract to send.
The readers of EL MALCRIADOwould better understand the UnitedFarm Workers demands and supportthe union demands if the editorswould print in an issue of ELMALCRIADO the current non-unionwages... the workers receive. Yourlist of demands for better wages,unemployment compensation , paidholidays and other benefits areknowledgeble for current union demands. But it would be of greatervalue to readers and supporters tolist the current wages for job classifications under union demands andcompare and evaluate these to nonunion demands in similar job class Hications. '
This list of data would serve toreveal (1) the low wages beingreceived for the work done andexploitation the lettUce growers usefor profits and (2) further reinforceU. F. W. demands for a decent livingwage. Shalom.
(Thanks for your suggestions--ELMALCRIADO)
Dale SpeegleSalinas, California
bal from Los Angeles said, "Anapparent conspiracy exists betweengrape growers (like the giantTenneco Corporation) and the Teamsters against the farm workersmovement."
Roybal visted 31 farms and tooka poll from 795 farm workers;83.4 per cent voted for the UnitedFarm Workers Union, 8.4 per centfor the Teamsters. Who is reallyafraid of an election?
George Meany of the AFL-CIOcharged the Teamsters with unionbusting, and he called upon theentire AFL-CIO to supportthe UFW.
Fitzsimmons' claim that the UFWis losing support among the clergyis false. Clergymen were arrestedin large numbers in the mass arrests in Coachella. But the realpoint is who has the loyalty of theworkers. Three hundred workerswent to jail in Coachella; perhapsa thousand more are on strike.Where are the Teamsters?
There are about 100 of themguarding the fields; htey are hiredas thugs•••and paid $67 a day. Asone of them said, "I'm a mercenary;, I'm in it for the money."
The top Teamster official in Coachella, Alan Droughty, is the nephewof one of Coachella's largest growers.
I say hurray for Chavez and thefarm workers and hope that allunions and rank and filers can seethat we must not be divided by people like Fitzsimmons and the growers. All working people must realizethe, farm workers' fight is a fightfor worker's rights everywhere.
I'm sending some Dr. bills. Theway the Teamsters are trying toget our union out of the way 1hope they never win. If for somereason you don't accept any moreclaims because of the way things aregoing please explain and write to meso I'll know. My dues are paidfor this quarter of April, MayJune. '
Farm Worker Fighta Fight for Workers' Rights Everywhere
Thank you,Luis ArteagaPorterville, California
Officials were never known,to draw their saber
To protect the rights,of farm workers from harm
They only drew it,when they needed slave labor
To keep the crops growing,at the County Pea Farm.
The torn bodies of many,bygone farm workers
Are nervously sleeping,from here to Delano.
And the battles must be,real tear jerkers,
As they watch,the United Farm Workers grow.
Perry BolandInglewood, California
Hopes Teamsters Lose
This le'tter is concerning the story"Teamster President Says CesarChavez Desperate," that you ranApril 25, Frank Fitzsimmons, president of the Teamster union, saidthat Cesar Chavez was .. whinin~"about conspiracies. '
Chavez was right to call pUblicattention to Coachella Valley to showthe public that the Teamster officialsare up to their old tricks again.
The Teamsters were expelledfrom the AFL-CIO in the late 50'sfor corruption and a number of topTeamster leaders have been foundguilty of extortion••••
The Supreme Court in Californiafound 'the Teamsters guilty of signing "Sweetheart" agreements withthe growers in the Salinas Valley.More than that, workers everywhereknow well about the Teamster practice of raiding other unions and liningthe pockets of Teamster big-wigs.James Hoffa said recently that laboris big business. The Teamstersare certainly the best friends bigbusiness has among labor.
Teamster officals don't fight forworkers' rights. They go along withthe 5.5 percent limit on wagesdespite the cO'St of living goingup far higher than that. Fitzsimmonswho makes $125,000 a year, doesn'tfeel the pinch of rising prices.
What does he know about the needsof farm workers, or any other workers for that matter? He's too faraway. Maybe if he made $10,000a year he wouldn't be such a sellout.
Last week Congressman Ed Roy-
Let's all keep faith,with our fore-fathers
Who trudged these hot,and dusty farm roads
While slaving for,those inhuman starvers
And being forced to hop,around like toads.
Keeping the Faith
(This letter was published in theSalinas California, May 3,1973)
To the Editor:
"We have the strength.Without our hond$,. IN/thoufour sweat; The
.____,,_ Grapes c8nnot bep,cted. Ifwe
understandthiS cles,.ty,. we wi/IWin
I/ery quickly"flR"C~