University of California

12/23/97 -- UFW Press Release

More than 500 California farm workers are the latest to benefit from a United Farm
Workers field organizing and negotiating campaign that racked up three new contract
victories in late 1998. These UFW agreements protect workers at large table grape,
nursery and vegetable firms.

Altogether, 17 growers have signed new union contracts since the drive began in 1994.
Since then, farm workers have also voted for the UFW in 15 straight secret ballot
elections.

Some 240 vineyard workers at Nash De Camp Farms in Visalia, Calif. are now covered
under a UFW contract signed in November. It is the first such agreement since 1995
between a California table grape grower and the union founded by Cesar Chavez.

Under the Nash De Camp pact, workers are receiving a 5% pay increase, improvements
in medical coverage and paid vacations, and a union pension plan. Other gains important
to workers included a grievance and arbitration procedure, job security and seniority.

L.E. Cooke Co., one of the largest nurseries in California's Central Valley, signed a
first-ever UFW contract in December. The Visalia-based firm supplies rose, flower and
tree fruit plants to growers across California. L.E. Cooke employs about 100
year-round workers. Its peak harvest work force is about 250.

Last Feb. 11, L.E. Cooke workers voted 146 to 51 for the UFW in balloting conducted
by the state Agricultural Labor Relations Board. With the L.E. Cooke contract, the
UFW represents more than 50% of workers in the Central Valley rose industry.

Highlights of the contract include the workers' first pension plan as well as job security
and seniority protection, paid holidays and vacations, and a grievance and arbitration
procedure.

Also recently signing a UFW contract was Oceanview Produce Co., a Ventura County
subsidiary of the giant Dole food corporation. This agreement covers 40 employees who
perform tractor and irrigation work. They won a wage increase, seniority and job
security, and a grievance and arbitration procedure. The UFW also settled an unfair
labor practice complaint against Oceanview that provided $246,000 for roughly 200
celery workers who were displaced by the company.