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Viva La Huelga

By VVAW

The United Farm Workers of America has announced an intensified boycott of grapes, lettuce, Gallo wines, and Safeway supermarkets. Cesar Chavez, head of the UFWA made the announcement following a statement of the Teamsters Union to continue to honor contracts with grape growers in California despite an agreement made with the Farm Workers and the AFL-CIO to get out of the vineyards.

The Teamsters Union President, Frank Fitzsimmons, had originally agreed to pull out of the vineyards because public pressure and support for the UFWA overwhelmed the shady deals and 'sweetheart' contracts negotiated by the Teamsters Union officials. In his reversal of the agreement, it is widely believed that Fitzsimmons is reneging in order to help him hold on to the presidency of the union. Former Teamster boss, James Hoffa, is planning to run again for the job in 1976, despite the terms of his release from prison two years ago which forbids this. In an apparent political move to stave off the possible re-emergence of Hoffa, and to save his own neck, Fitzsimmons has now aligned himself with the growers, rather than with the workers.

Cesar Chavez, in a recent interview stated, "We should have known not to negotiate with the Teamsters. They have deceived us every time." Fitzsimmons maintains that no agreement was ever reached, but Chavez explains, "We negotiated towards the end of September this year and when we left the negotiating room in Washington there was an understanding that we had an agreement. It was publicized the following day in the press throughout the country, and now we hear...that Fitzsimmons is repudiating that agreement."

The new boycott will continue with picketing of Safeway stores, and will rebuild the boycott of lettuce and grapes that had waned during the months when it was believed that the Teamsters would honor their agreement. This boycott will preceed a strike that is being called this spring in the Coachella Valley when the grapes begin to come in and then in the San Joaquin Valley this summer. These area have been the focal point of previous UFWA strikes and victories.

The Farm Workers are now in about 65 cities throughout the US and Canada and there are about 300 Farm Worker committees throughout the country. The boycott of these products and of Safeway and Gallo wines is already picking up strength and it is the strength of the Farm Workers and the success of the boycotts that will eventually see the renegotiation of the contracts, which will then be given back to the UFWA after having been stolen by the Teamsters Union.

It is important that all Americans join in the boycott again, and continue to support the Farm Workers as in the past. The Farm Workers are organizing the grapes and lettuce pickers who suffer brutally at the hands of the rich growers who continue to exploit them. It is in the interest of the growers to have the UFWA destroyed. It is in the interest of the people of this country to support the aims of the UFWA and to make this boycott work.

BOYCOTT all grapes that do not carry the UFWA eagle. BOYCOTT all iceberg lettuce. Romaine and others are o.k. BOYCOTT all Gallo wines. Some Gallo wines, such as Boone's Farm and Ripple do not carry the Gallo label but they come from Modesto, California where Gallo wine is the only distillery. Boycott all wines that come from Modesto. BOYCOTT all Safeway stores.

VIVA LA HUELGA!!!!!