At last—farmworkers have a uniofi “*At last, the farmworkers have their own union,” Raj Chouhan, president of the newly formed Canadian Farmworkers Union (CFU) declared to about 500 cheer- ing supporters April 26. It was billed as a ‘‘publiccelebra- tion”’ of the founding of the union, and CFU supporters, mainly from the East Indian community, filled the auditorium of David Thomp- son secondary school in Vancouver to display their enthusiasm with the new union. On hand to greet the CFU for- mation was feature speaker Cesar - Chavez, founder of the California based United Farmworkers of America, who told the meeting he was “‘proud and honoured”’ to be associated with the CFU. ‘‘Make a common cause, stand up and be counted,’’ Chavez ex- horted the farmworkers. ‘‘Nothing comes easy. Progress means strug- gle and sacrifice.”’ Farmworkers in B.C. face a struggle similar to that waged in California by Chavez’s UFW, Chouhan said. ‘‘We face almost the same problems that they had to face — long hours of work, low wages, inhuman working condi- tions, a contract system and an ex- CESAR CHAVEZI., RAJ CHOUHAN. . unions pledge mutual support for strikes and boycotts in U.S. and Labour Council GREETINGS ON MAY DAY to all working people Kamloops and District Canada. clusion from any protection under labor legislation.”’ : The B.C. labor code is supposed to enforce hours worked per day, overtime rates of pay, holidays, safety conditions, compensation, and the method of payment of wages, he said. “None of this applies to the farmworkers of B.C. They have been left at the mercy of the con- tractors and the farmers...The thousands of working men, women and children who provide the hard labor to produce the necessary food for society have in fact been excluded from the category of working people.”’ Asin California, the founding of aunion has been met with violence, to May Day Greetings - Labor Movement TWU Telecommunications Workers Union the _Chouhan said, citing attacks on the CFU offices in Burnaby and an at- tack on the home of Jawala Singh union. ‘All of this has not stopped us ’ from organizing in the past and it will not stop us in the future,” Chouhan declared. ‘I want to make it clear to all those who op- pose us that the union is here and we are going to organize every field in the Fraser Valley.” The CFU had almost negotiated an agreement with a large Fraser Valley farmer and the contract was to have been signed April 13, he said. But on the day of the signing, the farmer backed out. If the union iis forcéd to choose ‘‘the path of MAY DAY GREETINGS to our members, friends, and in the labor UNITED FISHERMEN and ALLIED WORKERS UNION supporters | movement Grewal, vice president of the to all from the MAY DAY GREETINGS working people and trade unionists Vancouver, New Westminster & District Building & Construction Trades Council 4500 Dawson Street, Burnaby, B.C. V5C 4C1 PACIFIC TRIBUNE—MAY 2, 1980—Page 20 \ bi if : ‘é ’ eo * presidents of farmworkers’ confrontation,’”’ it will be the farmers that lose, he warned. The CFU will use strikes and boycotts to win collective agreements, if farmers refuse to negotiate, he said. Farmworkers’ wages could be raised without forcing food: prices up, if the system of labor contrac- ‘tors, which accounts for 30 to 40 percent of wages, was eliminated, he said. “Food prices do not go up because workers get high wages but because the food chain stores want higher and higher profits,’’ he add- ed. ‘*We recognize that the farmers are facing some difficulties. Many - of these growers are not always the real source of our exploitation. They are squeezed in by those who munity spokesman Setty Pe control the market — the multin# tional corporate agribusiness. And corporate agribusiness knows no respect for any worker, any COB sumer or any country.” a Chavez called the farm Jabot contractor system “the most despicable system of exploitation that any human can work ung There is not enough room in Bis for your union and ™ - contractors.” a Chavez offered “good, sounds free advice”’ to B.C. growers. ~ Grower,” he said, ‘‘negotiate now before you make the mistake as growers in California “You can’t turn the clock ba two or three years before fast workers began to organize. ACO — the fact that the Canadian Fatt workers Union is here to stay. The farmers have money © power, the UFW leader said, never let them forget that we hav time, and timeis the most relenUe enemy. If they won’t sit down af bargain, they will have to deal wit strikes and boycotts. When Ui time comes, we will support yOu: Among the other speakers at thi celebration were East Indian COM prt > sarily Lad dakur, CFU officers Grewal ait Charan Gill, and B.C. Govel® ment Employees Union gens secretary John Fryer, wi presented the CFU with a ched¥t for $10,000 to assist the umm organizing drive this summer. FESTIVAL "=IS0NE ~'|_ B.C, Fed backs embattled Cupw MAY 17, 1980—2 PM—UKRAINIAN HALL 805 E. PENDER, VANCOUVER DISPLAY OF WORLD COMMUNIST PRESS ~~. a 5 PM: LAMB SUPPER — 7:30 PM: SPEAKERS, ENTERTAINMENT CABARET S PM - 12 MIDNIGHT PACIF RIBUNE } City or town’ Postal GOdeG. 2... ee SONNE 1 am enclosing: Published weekly at Suite 101 — 1416 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, B.C. VSL 3X9. Phone 251-1186 Read the paper that fights for labor - Tyear$10{) 2 years $18{) 6 months $6 [_ Old (1) New () Foreign 1 year $12 () Donation $. Rib 68 ep ele.