It took farm workers at Gallo of Sonoma in Healdsburg, CA more than five years to negotiate the first contract between their union, the UFW, and the winery. That first contract expired November 1, 2003. Since that time negotiations have stalled and no contract is currently in effect. The company is a subsidiary of the E. and J. Gallo Company and run by Matt and Gina Gallo, third generation members of the family.
Workers at Gallo of Sonoma voted overwhelmingly for the UFW in an election in 1994. But it took over five years to negotiate the contract, primarily because Gallo refused to provide health and other basic benefits to the 60% of its workers supplied by farm labor contractors. Today, labor contractor workers comprise about 75% of the Gallo of Sonoma workforce and the company is still adamantly rejecting union contract benefits for labor contractor employees.
Gallo is a $1.7 billion company, selling one out of every four bottles of wine sold in America. Gallo of Sonoma is one of their more expensive lines. Gallo has a responsibility to provide all of their employees with a fair share of the pie - with decent wages and working conditions, health benefits and representation at the workplace. Their use of a labor contractor system does not absolve them of their responsibilities as employers.
The UFW says it will call a nationwide boycott if Gallo continues to refuse to negotiate a fair contract for all of its workers. Supporters, including religious organizations like the National Farm Worker Ministry, are already passing resolutions to endorse that boycott if it's called.
