UFW urges boycott of Charles Krug Winery

<p>The United Farm Workers on Thursday called for a national consumer boycott of the Charles Krug Winery to protest the winery's plans to fire union workers July 1 and turn management over to an independent vineyard management company.</p><p>At a rally on the steps of San Francisco City Hall, union leaders urged supporters waving red flags to recall the success of last year's boycott of E&J Gallo wines made in Sonoma County, and to use the tactic to support farmworkers at Charles Krug in the Napa Valley.</p><p>"Last year on these very streets we launched the boycott of Gallo vineyards, and we turned around that contract and we got a victory for the UFW," said Tim Paulson, executive director of the San Francisco Labor Council. "We're going to do the same thing here."</p><p>The council represents about 150 unions, including the UFW.</p><p>The UFW's action against Gallo's Sonoma County operations last year brought a boycott strategy to the premium wines region of Sonoma and Napa counties that the union used successfully 30years ago against grapes grown in the Central Valley.</p><p>Union leaders believe that the boycott, enhanced by modern-day tactics such as heavy use of the Internet and e-mail campaigns, were effective against Gallo and will work against Charles Krug, as well.</p><p>"We can now reach out to someone, say, in New York, who's possibly going out to dinner somewhere that evening and we can given them information to let them make a conscious choice," said Roberto Garcia, who is representing the 36 UFW workers at Charles Krug.</p><p>Charles Krug officials have said the winery wants to hire a vineyard management company to operate its 500 acres of vineyards because of the expertise such specialists can bring to the job.</p><p>Officials could not be reached for comment Thursday.</p><p>The union's willingness to resort to a boycott again does not indicate the UFW has a renewed combative streak, Garcia said. The action was only taken as a last resort after Charles Krug stopped bargaining in good faith and threatened to fire the employees, he said.</p><p>The union's contract expired Dec. 31. The union was requesting a 3-year contract with 3 percent annual pay increases and modest increases in health care benefits, Garcia said. The company proposed mandatory physical examinations of the workers, and the right to use those examinations to terminate employees, Garcia said.</p><p>The company has said the exams would help it reduce its workers compensation costs and ensure the workers' safety.</p><p>The union didn't agree to the exams because it feared the company would use the results to get rid of older workers, Garcia said.</p><p>After the contract ran out, the company informed the union it planned to outsource their jobs to a vineyard management company.</p><p>"These workers have given their lives to this company, and now they are being treated like disposable objects," said Ana Rizo, an organizer with the National Farm Worker Ministry.</p><p>Outsourcing their jobs is a convenient way for a wealthy company to "wash their hands of responsibility" for its workers, Rizo said.</p><p>Most of the union workers make about $9.60 an hour, and get vacations and health benefits. Workers for labor contracts would probably make less and get no health benefits, Garcia said.</p><p>But that's not necessarily so. Charles Krug currently uses Jack Neal & Son, Inc., one of the largest vineyard management companies in the Napa Valley. General manager Mark Neal said he would be willing to expand his relationship with Charles Krug, and his company offers $11 an hour and 100 health benefits after 90 days.</p><p>The union is planning marches in Napa and in San Francisco.</p><p>"What is happening at Charles Krug is no different than what is happening to farmworkers everyday," said Arturo Rodriguez, president of the United Farm Workers. "But these farm workers have an opportunity to fight."</p><p>Charles Krug is owned by Peter Mondavi. It makes wines under the Charles Krug and C. K. Mondavi labels. It is the 15th largest winery in the nation, with more than 1 million cases sold in 2005, according to Wine Business Monthly.</p>