Unbelievable abuse in California's grape fields

[Omaha Steve]

Last week Liz shared some disturbing news about the treatment of farmworkers in California's grape fields.

Giumarra Vineyards Corporation has been abusing and mistreating its workers, running humiliating "races" and giving workers no time for water, shade, or breaks.

So far, a coalition of groups – including American Rights at Work and the United Farm Workers – has gathered over 23,000 signatures on our petition demanding better treatment for Giumarra's workers. It's time for the company to change its policies and begin treating the workers laboring in its fields with dignity and respect! We're delivering the petition next week and wanted to give you one last chance to add your name to the call.

Her original message is below, in case you missed it. Sign our petition to Giumarra today!

Thanks for your support!

– Manny



Petition here: http://action.americanrightsatwork.org/campaign/giumarragrape2?rk=T11_G81qbJUAE

It's hard to imagine this kind of abuse still happens in 2009...

Forcing farmworkers to "race" and see who can pick the most grapes in searing 100-degree heat, and then firing the "losers." Screaming at workers and forcing them to take unpaid "time-outs" if they dare to question supervisors.

Insane quotas, giving workers no time for water, shade, or breaks.

But that's standard operating procedure at Giumarra Vineyards Corporation – a leading grape company. California farmworkers urgently need your help to make the abuses stop.

Please speak up and demand fair treatment for California farmworkers today!

You have already shown you can make a difference for exploited workers.

Just last month, over 21,000 American Rights at Work activists took action, urging Chipotle to partner with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to help end exploitation of Florida farmworkers. Chipotle definitely noticed! And our supporters have helped get huge companies like McDonald's and Burger King to improve labor standards for farmworkers.

Now California farmworkers need your help. As the world's largest table grape company, Giumarra harvests approximately 10% of U.S. grapes. If we don't help these workers, Giumarra's abuses could set a dangerous precedent for other companies. Demand better of Giumarra: tell them to put an end to worker abuse now!

Your petition signature can make sure abuses like these don't become the industry standard for agribusiness companies:

* Bullying workers who try to form unions. In 2005, Giumarra President Sal Giumarra threatened that if workers voted to form a union, he would turn the next year's crop of table grapes into juice or wine – a move that would require far fewer workers and cost many their jobs.
* Setting absurdly unrealistic quotas and threatening workers with their jobs if they don't meet the standards.
* Humiliating and shaming workers into working harder. Workers who speak up against the abuse and unrealistic quotas have been given unpaid "time-outs" to shame them into silence.
* Putting profits ahead of worker safety. High quotas force workers to go without water, shade, or breaks as they work in triple-digit temperatures.

Giumarra needs to know that the public will not stand for endangering workers.

Sign our petition to Giumarra Vineyards Corporation today: http://action.americanrightsatwork.org/campaign/giumarragrape2?rk=T11_G81qbJUAE

Then help us spread the word about this scandal by forwarding this email to five of your friends.

Thanks for all that you do.

Sincerely,
Liz, Manny, Elizabeth B. and the American Rights at Work team

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[Mimosa]

1. Do they exploit illegals, too? n/t

[rubberducky]

2. Thank you for the link. Signed the petition and signed up for e-mail alerts.

This is the main thing in my life that I will jump up on a soap box over. I will never forget what I saw when I lived in CA. These people are treated as sub-humans. I still find it unbelievable that human beings would be treated in such an inhumane way. I marched in marches when I was out there for better working conditions, worked the phones, and bitched to everyone who would give me the time of day. I thought, when I moved back to my home state of MI that maybe I could put everything that I had seen of these desparatly poor people behind me. I will never ever forget. I married a rancher with acreage in the San Joachim valley. I was 18 years old and did not realize then how much outrage I was capable of.

[RKP5637]

3. Signed the petition! Thanks for the posting!

[dcsmart]

4. SIGNED...K & R

[PDJane]

5. Done.............

Thanks and you're welcome!