Winery workers to be reinstated

The United Farm Workers union announced today that 24 workers who were fired from Charles Krug-Mondavi winery in Napa nearly two years ago have been reinstated with back pay and raises.

The union, which has struggled to maintain a presence on the North Coast in recent years, said it has signed a new four-year contract with the St. Helena winery.

“This is a tremendous victory for the farm workers at Charles Krug-Mondavi. This just proves that when farm workers stand up to demand their rights, they will be heard,” UFW Regional Director Casimiro Alvarez said in a statement.

In addition to back pay, the new contract calls for workers to receive an 18 percent increase in salary over four years, the UFW said.

The UFW has represented farm workers at Charles Krug for more than 20 years. After the previous contract expired on Dec. 31, 2005, Krug told the union it had decided to turn over management of 500 acres of vineyards to a vineyard management company.

The state Agricultural Labor Relations Board filed charges against Krug, claiming the winery failed to negotiate in good faith with the union.

The union has struggled in Sonoma County in recent years, losing decertification votes at Healdsburg’s E&J Gallo and Richard’s Grove and Saralee’s Vineyard, Inc. in Windsor.