[PEN-L:9587] Quincy Farms Settles Dispute with UFW

["Michael Hoover" <hoov@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

forwarded by Michael Hoover

> http://www.tdo.com/news/breaking/docs/20MUSHROO-CMP-NWS.htm
>
> Quincy Farms settles dispute with United Farm Workers
>
>  The agreement increases wages from $5.25 to $5.75 an hour for mushroom
> packers.
>
>  By Bill Cotterell
>   DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
>
>    More than three years after it began, a bitter labor dispute between
> mushroom workers and a giant Quincy farming operation comes to a close
> today with the formal signing of a union contract giving about half the
> employees a 50-cent hourly pay raise.
>
>   Jocelyn Sherman, a spokeswoman for the United Farm Workers, said Monday
> that just having a contract with Quincy Farms was as important as the
> money. And company president Greg Verhagen said he was pleased to have the
> court suits, boycott and picketing finally finished.
>
> "This proud day would not have happened without the great organization and
> spirit of the Quincy farm workers and the hard work and support of United
> Farm Workers union," Sherman said. "Quincy Farms has established a model of
> progressive labor relations by recognizing the advantages of the company,
> union and employees working together."
>
> Her praise was a far cry from the bitterness that marked a protest leading
> to the firing of 86 employees of the mushroom packing plant on March 14,
> 1996. The company took back 24 workers who agreed to cease union activities
> but the UFW, seeking union recognition, organized continued protests at the
> Gadsden County plant, as well as a boycott of its Prime Mushrooms label.
>
> Six of the fired employees also filed a class-action suit in Gadsden County
> Circuit Court last year, supported by Florida Legal Services, seeking
> reinstatement with back pay for all of the ousted employees.
>
> Verhagen said all of the strikers who wanted their jobs back have been
> rehired over the past three years. He said the company agreed to increase
> wages from $5.25 to $5.75 an hour for mushroom packers in the plant, but
> did not change the piece-work amount paid to pickers -- which he declined
> to disclose.
>
> "A harvester can do very well here," said Verhagen. "Mushrooms are a crop
> that is grown year-round, and we have many employees with long seniority
> with us."
>
> The 18-month union agreement covers up to 430 mushroom pickers and packers.
> Verhagen said the company also agreed to implement a profit-sharing plan.
>
> On July 7, the UFW conducted a union election in which the company verified
> that 289 of its employees -- about 67 percent of the company's workers --
> supported the union. Sherman said UFW President Arturo Rodriguez will sign
> the contract at the plant today, along with Verhagen and Quincy Farms chief
> executive officer Dennis Zensen.
>
> Verhagen said the company agreed to work out a contract because two-thirds
> of its employees wanted one, not because of the boycott.
>
> "My understanding is that it had no noticeable effect on sales," he said.
>
> Bill Cotterell covers state government. He can be reached at 599-2243. His
> e-mail address is <mailto:bcotterell@xxxxxxxxxx>bcotterell@xxxxxxxxxx .
>  Posted at 12:27 a.m. EDT Tuesday, July 20, 1999
> _________________________________________
> McReynolds 2000 Committee
> "Building a Movement for Jobs, Peace and Freedom"
> P.O. Box 91, Floral Park, NY 10012
> http://votesocialist.org/