00:00:02.230 - 00:00:23.170

One of these days I get to hand. Well, um. I, uh, can I start off by asking how you came to work once you go OK. Uh, and. What your experience was in the union before the strike. You were there for what, 23 years before the

00:00:23.170 - 00:00:49.549

strike broke out, were you? Actually it was about, well, from 1962. Good 1989, well, I mean 95, yeah. So you came in about the same time that Gloria did, really, yes, I wonder, but you didn't have to lie about your age. No, uh, how did you

00:00:49.549 - 00:01:17.790

come to work there? Mm. Uh, My brother, uh, older brother was working there in Drew, so. I heard you know the they were hired, you know, for the season, uh, the fall season. I think around September we saw. So I apply. Actually those days you didn't

00:01:17.790 - 00:01:40.419

apply just talk talk to the foreman and they you know people will hire you right there. And and I was hired to work in the cleanup crew. Where had you been working before that? Uh, in the fields, um, picking strawberries, uh, doing different kind of, uh,

00:01:40.430 - 00:02:06.279

field work, how long did you do that? Uh, Well, I was born in Mexico. I was born and raised in Mexico and I came. To work as a bracero in 1958. Uh, so I worked as a reset from 1958 to 19661 and then in 1962 I

00:02:06.559 - 00:02:26.229

immigrated legally with a green card, yeah, so that's when I started. Working, I was in Canon before that I was working as a bracero, you know, with your contract with a contract that you had a family in, in Lawrenceville, uh, when you first came up here

00:02:26.229 - 00:02:46.860

already. My, my brother, I had a brother in Watsonville, right. And um you started off in the cleanup crew yes you wound up a mechanic, didn't you. Uh, at the end, but it's it's a. It took a process, you know, when I first started working there

00:02:46.860 - 00:03:08.720

I didn't know much English. Uh, so I worked a few years. In the cleanup crew, then I figured out that I wasn't gonna go anywhere, you know, there, so staying in the cleanup crew. So what I did, I started going to school to night school. And

00:03:08.720 - 00:03:31.259

and I got my uh. Uh, GED. Uh, uh, I was working after I worked, you know, for a few years in the cleanup crew, I got some seniority, so I asked to be switched to working days. So that I could go to night school. Uh, to

00:03:31.259 - 00:03:53.550

learn English. And so I did that for about 2 or 3 years and in that time I got my GED, you know, after I got my GED I, I. I went You know, I, I stay working with Wesleyanon but uh then that was offered job as

00:03:53.550 - 00:04:16.570

a line foreman, you know, so my. Uh, we. Uh, You know, it got, got better. I mean, I, I got a better position, you know, better pay, better benefits when you first started on the clean up crew, were you, uh, it was year-round work, right? Or

00:04:16.570 - 00:04:37.959

was it season at the beginning it was seasonal, yeah, yeah. Did you get health benefits, anything like that? Uh, I didn't You know, to tell you the truth, I didn't really knew, and, uh, you know, I didn't really needed it was young and helped them, yeah,

00:04:38.079 - 00:04:51.730

and I didn't really care, so I, I didn't know, I didn't know my, my rights. I don't know my, I didn't even know that that we were union until they started, they told me, oh yeah, they're taking the union views, union views uh, you know, so

00:04:51.730 - 00:05:12.940

I, I didn't know much about, you know, I didn't know anything about unions, you know, right, when you start finding out about the union. Uh, well, later on, uh, when you know, I. Switch from being a bracket 5 worker to a bracket 3 then I found

00:05:12.940 - 00:05:38.309

out that uh. You know, I would have a better pension. And um And also better health insurance. Or some health insurance because I don't think the seasonals, no, yeah, the seasonals they have health insurance until. The I don't know, 72 or 82, you know, later on

00:05:38.959 - 00:05:54.299

the, the, there was only health insurance for the regular sity people which is bracket 12, and 3, right? Yeah, so bracket 5 didn't get it, and that was the most of the seasonal people. Oh yeah, the majority you had to work what, 4 or 5 years

00:05:54.299 - 00:06:10.500

before you qualified. Well, you had to get a different job, you know, you know, if you were in bracket 5, you didn't get it no matter how long you had been there, right, uh huh, yeah, until later on that the union negotiated right into the contract,

00:06:10.510 - 00:06:33.600

yeah. Um, Did you uh How does it compare with, you know, the work I mean just, uh, you, you make better money yeah. Well, yeah, yeah, because I mean we were really good ours, you know, those days the frozen food industry was booming. I mean if

00:06:33.600 - 00:07:10.809

you wanna work, I mean you, you just show up and they'll hire you and uh there was uh no no problem finding a job. Now that's my point. Oh, I don't believe this. Hello. Hello. Must be yours. Yeah. Let me get that. People are becoming slaves

00:07:10.809 - 00:07:32.500

of electronics here, um. You're saying that the hours are good. You got, you got plenty of overtime, yeah yeah yeah. So compared to other jobs, yeah, we were doing good and then you know when I married, I had a family, I found that, you know, that

00:07:32.720 - 00:08:01.589

you know that it was important to to have uh. You know, junior job with benefits. When I wanna jump ahead now um for me. Up to 1985. Uh, Did you have any advanced warning what Mark Conant was going to do? He knew he was planning to

00:08:01.799 - 00:08:21.750

basically but what indications were there? How did you know? Rumors Yeah, you know, rumors, uh, that, uh, he was planning to, you know, when our contract was gonna end, then your contract ended like June 30th, I think, yeah, so well in advance of that, he knew

00:08:21.750 - 00:08:41.299

that things were going, yeah, because, uh, supposedly the negotiations when you know they they they. The company gave a union uh. I, I guess a sign that that they were gonna be negotiating in the faith and they were trying to to get us out of there,

00:08:41.369 - 00:09:00.388

you know. Have you been going to union meetings at that point? No, I, I was never, no, uh, shame on me, but, uh, I mean, I was never involved with the union. It sounds like I, I used to go to union meetings during, uh, contract renewals,

00:09:00.958 - 00:09:22.979

you know, which was like every 3 years, you know, the proposal meetings, uh, I remember those, yeah. That was the only time that that uh. You know, I went to union unions. You know, I, I think, um, I, I, before I came out here I looked

00:09:22.979 - 00:09:38.359

at an interview that, uh. Uh, you did unity with you, uh, and she was saying, you know, I used to go to union meetings regularly. You know, every the 3rd Thursday of every month and I would just come home all tired and frustrated and angry, you

00:09:38.359 - 00:09:52.940

know, uh. And uh Now we're gonna both the bums out, you know, it's kind of the way she put it. This is very early in the strike, I guess that she did this interview, but I get the impression that she was one of the few people

00:09:52.940 - 00:10:11.549

who actually tried to go to those meetings and make things happen. Yeah, she, she around by the way, uh, and then send here yeah oh I'm sorry no I don't, I don't know what I'm just trying to track on everybody I can um. So you got

00:10:11.549 - 00:10:27.840

the word that console was probably gonna try to force a strike. Was it were you told that he was probably trying to get rid of the union, or simply that he was gonna cut your wages down to 505 or whatever? I knew that, you know, the

00:10:27.840 - 00:10:51.429

rumor was that they wanted us out here and uh. And we heard You know that, uh, competition for Mexico at that time was pretty, pretty big and uh and they were in Mexico they were doing. You know, all days work for less than $4 a day

00:10:51.429 - 00:11:06.590

for $3 a day, and, uh, was it real like the threat that they would move? I mean you think even now. Oh yeah, the, the, the fruit of funds were there in, in, in, uh, you went down there actually for the for local night a few

00:11:06.590 - 00:11:23.020

times and you check things out we I wanna talk about that a little bit later, but I'm just gonna try to go and order, you know, when the strike happened, um. You basically consult was unilaterally cut your your pay and eliminated your health benefits you already

00:11:23.020 - 00:11:40.520

didn't, you know, when the when the old contract expired. What happened then? What did, how did people react? Well, we got really upset. All of us got really upset and, and, uh, we said, you know, we, we're never gonna accept that we're gonna go on strike

00:11:41.520 - 00:12:00.020

and, and that's probably what he wanted. But it it was a couple of months before you actually went on strike, right? I mean you went out on September 9th, and he imposed the new terms on at the end of June. Were there meetings or demonstrations or

00:12:00.020 - 00:12:16.869

anything like that before that? I mean, when did you take a strike vote? Uh, we took the strike book before September 9th. I, I don't remember but uh did you have any problems getting the vote? I'm thinking, you know, Richard King didn't try to stop it

00:12:16.869 - 00:12:41.309

or anything. What, what kind of approach did he take in those meetings? Well, they were explaining, the union was explaining what was happening and uh and uh they were not. Recommending us to accept that from the company so. They basically said this is not the agreement

00:12:41.309 - 00:13:00.239

it's not a it's not a right? Did they take any leadership or any initiative or anything like that? In terms of helping you prepare for a strike. Well, I don't know you know if uh. We were prepared ready for the strike, but uh. But at some

00:13:00.239 - 00:13:17.950

point I think, I think we were because they, they, they explained, you know, that we would get strike benefits and how much we were gonna get. Everything was explained that you don't know exactly when the strike does happen, no, I, I don't. I don't remember now.

00:13:19.609 - 00:13:40.479

And then Were there any demonstrations or marches or pickets between, you know, the, the before the strike vote actually happened? No, I don't, no, I don't think so. No, yeah, and the strike vote was taken. You walked out on September 9th. Um, actually, I mean, uh,

00:13:40.489 - 00:14:02.119

actually. September 9th, you know, I was going to work in the morning and I found out that the whole fence, you know, the cyclone fence was filled with uh those broccoli bands at the gates. They, they put they line them up so that we couldn't get

00:14:02.119 - 00:14:26.380

in. So they basically locked you out, but, yeah, yeah, they, they didn't even, um, you didn't even throw a picking line. They just wouldn't mind you going to work. Um, when did they start recruiting scabs? How far into the sky I think. Yeah, but you showed

00:14:26.380 - 00:14:41.669

up for work on the 9th and you were locked up. I couldn't get in. You couldn't get in. You're not, not because of the picket line, but because console wouldn't let you in the gates were closed, yeah. Do you remember the the Gordon junction it came

00:14:41.669 - 00:15:00.330

down. Very strict, right? Do you know what the terms were. I don't know, but uh, I don't really remember, but I know it was pretty much against the, the workers, yeah, yeah, yeah, you could only have what, a couple of pickets at each gate. Uh huh,

00:15:00.479 - 00:15:22.289

yes, uh-huh. Did you have large picket lines at first? Oh yeah, yeah, how many people? Oh, everybody was that people had, uh. I mean you, it sounds like it was fairly well organized when you first started. Um, and yet I hear uh people were frustrated because

00:15:22.289 - 00:15:43.280

the union wasn't doing more. Yeah. I guess yeah it was easy to to blame the union because they they were the ones who were representing us at the time yeah they weren't really. I mean do they have picket signs? Did they assign people to? Pick a

00:15:43.280 - 00:15:59.549

certain cases. Well, they were trying. I, I know they were trying because I remember a business agent that was trying to let us know that, you know, to keep organized and to stay on the sidewalks and stay away from the streets and all of that and

00:15:59.549 - 00:16:22.219

uh and people. Would get angry instead of, you know, doing what the business agent was saying, you know, I remember now, uh, so. I think he was trying to get things right so that the judge won't give that. He didn't want anybody arrested were people arrested

00:16:22.219 - 00:16:40.590

at the beginning. I think so. I mean, you don't know offhand who no, but there was a lot of people that were arrested through all the strike, you know everything. Usually because they didn't uh obey the injunction about picking there were too many people near the

00:16:40.590 - 00:17:00.650

gate either that or or the police found the excuse to to take people away. No, you were actually I, I jumped ahead. You moved off the clean up crew and you moved into uh bracket 3. What were you doing at that point? Uh, I was driving

00:17:00.650 - 00:17:22.630

forklift, uh, towards the end I was driving forklift for the clean up crew, yeah, so that, that's about to do, right, yeah, see we're mechanics work for 5 operating that, um, well, I moved into the mainland department later on. Yeah, but, uh, when I after I

00:17:22.630 - 00:17:46.760

got my GED, I, I work on the line as a line for and then, uh. The Superintendent, the superintendent asked me if I would go back to the clean up crew. To lead the crew to be a leader, I mean, uh, because the, the present leader

00:17:46.760 - 00:18:09.130

of foreman won't give you know enough English, you know, to communicate with uh inspector with a USDA oh yeah and uh. So they told me we need somebody that can communicate so that they understand better because they was having some sanitation problems. And they asked me

00:18:09.130 - 00:18:27.900

to go back uh as with uh as a bracket one, you know, job. And that I would be there temporarily until I get things straightened up, uh, so I said, OK, I'm going back. So I ended up, you know, being there, not, not just temporary. I

00:18:27.900 - 00:18:40.020

was there for, I, I, I think it took 3 more years. That was really pretty much what you did is you were like the story for the clean up, yeah, so I, I went back, you know, being, uh, the one that used to be in my

00:18:40.020 - 00:18:55.430

apartment I was his uh quite a lot. I mean, I, I remember somebody told me. That it became really important during I think it was Alex actually that during the recertification but you knew practically you knew the plant so well that that you knew how to

00:18:55.430 - 00:19:09.150

find the scabs and talk to them and you know oh yeah we yeah yeah because I mean the working in the clean up really you have to work over all over. Oh yeah, the whole plant and, and actually I had keys through all through all, all

00:19:09.150 - 00:19:29.069

the different gates and stuff here talking about what they're about 1000 people working there at the peak, yes, about 1100, right. How many of them would you say that you knew, you know? Most of them yeah. And when we, we actually walked out on strike. Because

00:19:29.069 - 00:19:46.760

you pretty much have the the participation of everybody in the plan. Yes, you, you is about to be oh yeah, everybody was pretty strong. There was no question about no, nobody was crossing the picket line, we stayed out and, uh, but, uh, you know, special recognition

00:19:46.760 - 00:20:10.550

to, to women, you know, because. At that time I think it probably about 85% of the workforce was that. And and they're the ones that that held the thicker lines, you know, stronger than anybody else. My respect for for them, you know. I mean, without them,

00:20:11.160 - 00:20:28.060

I mean, we wouldn't have been able to, to win the strike without the support of the women. So my head soft for them. um, tell me how it was at the striker committee. You had that big meeting on October 15th and you were elected and I

00:20:28.060 - 00:20:51.560

guess 10 other people. Why was why was that meeting called? Oh, because we didn't have any. Thing gone there was no going at that time I mean uh I think well the union wasn't able to do enough for us, so the idea came on, you know,

00:20:51.680 - 00:21:11.160

among the workers and all the people that. You know, it gave us ideas and uh who. Who did you talk to? I mean, I know a bunch of people came in, you know, around, uh, the beginning of October to help out. Well, there was people that

00:21:11.160 - 00:21:26.969

was, I know there was Cheriang with one of them, Oscar Rios, Manuel Diaz. Manuel was actually in town before the strike started, wasn't he? Have you stayed in touch with him by any chance? Do you know how to find him? I haven't talked to him. I

00:21:26.969 - 00:21:46.650

haven't seen him for a long time. He. Stay away, yeah, in the San Joaquin Valley, I think. But the good thing is that we got together, we had our own meeting meeting just just the strikers, no union officials, uh, and nobody else is, uh, a church

00:21:46.650 - 00:22:03.510

let us use their hall and, uh, I think it was. Over 400 people that went to the meeting and how did you get people out of that meeting but passed a leaf flat or word of mouth or yeah you didn't you didn't pass out a leaflet

00:22:03.510 - 00:22:23.160

or anything like that because I don't remember yeah yeah um. That um One thing that I was talking to Frank Barth and he was saying that when the strike started because not much was happening at the union hall to hold together the the the CDU chapter

00:22:23.160 - 00:22:41.410

was kind of acting as if it were the union. Is that your sense, you know, for those first weeks of the strike. He said there was a problem because they weren't doing that and they weren't really, you know. Uh, well, uh, there's difference of opinion here.

00:22:41.810 - 00:23:03.290

Yeah, well, I mean, I, everybody I talk to has their own opinion, yeah, yeah, I mean, and, uh, I know that TDU wanted to have their name up there and, and, and. Presume that they were the ones doing You're doing, uh, everything and did you know

00:23:03.290 - 00:23:26.250

anything about them before the strike? OK Uh, Yeah, I heard about, you know, the, the TVDU because they were they were coming, yeah, yeah, uh, coming to meetings and they were always criticizing the union. That's something that they used to do good, yeah, were you, was

00:23:26.250 - 00:23:39.930

there any, I mean, I guess a, um. I'm just trying to get a sense of it if they had any kind of a base inside the plant when the strike broke out. Um, I think they thought they had, but there was only, I think it was

00:23:39.930 - 00:23:57.739

a small, small group of people. Big enough to get a lot of votes if they ran a candidate but not big enough to lead a strike. No, I don't, I don't think so. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Did you, was there a resentment towards them when they, when

00:23:57.739 - 00:24:16.599

they sort of put that role on? Uh, as far as I'm concerned, no, I mean, I mean, I, I don't think we. I mean if we were to focus on, you know, resentment, I mean I think we would be wasting our time. I think that the

00:24:16.599 - 00:24:40.069

problem was, you know, the, the strike, you know, the, the company that took us on strike, not, not, no. Um, what were the biggest challenges that this strikers committee faced once it got started? There were 11 of you, right? How often did you meet? Uh, whenever

00:24:40.069 - 00:24:58.949

it was first, like every week, and then later on, at least every month, but whenever it was necessary, uh, we, we had a lot of meeting meetings, you know, throughout the strike. Did you, were there ever after that first big meeting at the church, were there

00:24:58.949 - 00:25:16.310

any more meetings where I'd like to see anybody come in or just 11 you would meet regularly and try to figure things out. Uh, well, we used to have our own meetings, I just to strikers meeting, and then, uh, we used to have meetings with, with,

00:25:16.380 - 00:25:35.819

with, with, you know, that it was open to, to everybody. We did have that to, to the members, how often were they. Oh. I don't, I We got a lot. I know we had a lot of years, yeah, but, uh, I, I, I'm going back a

00:25:35.819 - 00:25:54.199

quarter of a century, yeah. Uh, but one of the, uh. You know, important things that we started doing after after we formed the strikers committee or or the people from the strikers committee because I was just nominated. I didn't even know that I was gonna be

00:25:54.640 - 00:26:21.280

nominated and uh somebody yeah do you have any idea why? Well, later, yeah, I guess because I was involved all the time. I was there all the time and yeah and you got and I talked to people and I guess talking through your heart, you know,

00:26:21.319 - 00:26:41.890

to people and caring didn't because I, I care about the people I know, my coworkers and, uh, so, so one of the things that You know, we found out that we needed to have communication. I mean, out there, or, you know, to not, not just in

00:26:41.890 - 00:27:06.719

Watsonville to get but to get like the media going, uh, newspapers, radio, you know, started doing radio interviews, uh, TV. Who you talk to a local stations or, or yeah, what kind of coverage were you getting? We could, well, some, some stations, uh, not all, not

00:27:06.719 - 00:27:32.209

all of them wanted to get involved, but I know there was a station in Salinas. Oh, Uh I know, I know the radio host was Jose Valenzuela at the time, and he used to get us in there during his news hour and, uh, so he would

00:27:32.209 - 00:27:51.489

interview us live and we would talk. How did people in Washington go outside of the plant feel about more console? Did he have a reputation in town or We had the support of the people the people in Watsonville, pretty much. Except that the courts, not the

00:27:51.489 - 00:28:05.619

police, except the police, yeah, because, uh, we thought that the police were on, on, on their side, uh huh. Did you have any kind of, how about the city council or, you know, local government, were they? Did they stay out of it? Did they support the

00:28:05.619 - 00:28:33.530

police and. Uh, We didn't Uh, Well, we didn't, we didn't have anything to do with the city council except that we used to go to the chief of police, you know, a few times, several times, uh, at that time was rebo guard. And uh, In Medina.

00:28:34.939 - 00:28:55.660

Which was his second. Later on became the chief of police. Do you have any thoughts as to why they were so hostile? 00 yeah, I mean friends friends with, with more console that was the same drink in the same part, yeah, oh yeah, yeah, they, they

00:28:56.500 - 00:29:17.189

probably they believe that they were. Upper level and we were at a lower lower level I mean that's not not that that's the way. It was, but that's the way they believed it was because, you know, I found out that uh when You know, like the

00:29:17.189 - 00:29:39.050

experience that I got is I found out that nobody is better than you. Nobody should be better than you, or they, nobody should put you down, you know, that you have the same rights as anybody else. Well, What kinds of Things that you do once you're

00:29:39.050 - 00:29:56.150

elected to the strikers committee. What Gloria actually said she spent a lot of time traveling around the country, you know, making speeches, um, going back to Boston, speaking at a college just to. What what did you find yourself taking up most of your time there once

00:29:56.150 - 00:30:23.719

you were on the tracker day? Uh, We did, uh, radio and TV. We did a lot of interviews locally and uh also in the Bay Area, uh, one thing that, uh, we started was, uh, uh. You know, collect donations, you know, ask ask for donations. And

00:30:23.719 - 00:30:42.589

uh they need me uh actually they name me a treasurer for the strike is over uh-huh. And we did, we did really good and, and that, you know, with the help of other organizations like people that came from the Bay Area. It was the in the

00:30:42.589 - 00:30:59.630

north, I think it was the north uh northern California some of their meetings yeah yeah and I remember we did a, I was working at the post office at the time and they, we did a food drive there. And uh and I think we we did

00:30:59.630 - 00:31:19.770

really good because uh you know a lot of times uh you know once we had so much money and there was people that uh were getting ready to be addicted because they didn't pay their rents we were able to pay, you know, their rent. Uh, you

00:31:19.770 - 00:31:33.969

know, we had, it was, it wasn't easy, it was very difficult. How many people did you have are actually facing addiction. I mean you, you were the treasurer because you had to keep track of any time to help somebody out with rent or a mortgage payment

00:31:33.969 - 00:31:57.810

or something like that. How many people would you say that you helped? Well, we got I know we had over $12,000 in donations. And uh And we paid some there were a few people that we paid the whole rent which at that time wasn't that, you

00:31:57.810 - 00:32:21.910

know, as big as now but it was between the 456 $700. And, and uh some people. Uh, we would pay, you know, we had to evaluate. It wasn't an easy decision to make because you had to figure out, OK, we only have so much money and

00:32:21.910 - 00:32:40.689

there's so, so many people out there in need, so who do you. Choose I can make a decision to decide we had, we had just to prioritize depending on their needs. They had family, kids, you know, some of them, you know, are living in cars and

00:32:40.689 - 00:33:04.310

stuff, and, uh, and then we use other. Sources, you know, like uh. There was a the Salvation Army was helping some people with partial rent. So if they can so they can have have a rent from Salvation Army would come out with the other half, you

00:33:04.310 - 00:33:23.489

know, we found out that PG&E would help, you know, with, uh, reduce the bills or. Or no, Salvation Army would pay PG&E to help, you know, some people one time we found out, you know, that there's, there was a lot of organizations there outside, you know,

00:33:23.930 - 00:33:43.800

that, that care and, uh, they were already there and they they would donate, you know. Money for, for the strikers. Were there ever conflicts about, you know, how come this person got help and I didn't kind of thing. There was uh. You know, some, but no,

00:33:43.979 - 00:34:07.560

no, no. People just figured you were they they trusted you enough to figure, you know, they've got. Everything was there. The books were open. Nobody, nobody was, uh. Hiding anything, yeah, you know, I guess, um. A few months into the strike, uh, you had the election.

00:34:08.709 - 00:34:39.370

Was that in November you ran didn't show the people. The first. Hi, hi, um, our balls or seeds and red ones like this, um, right over the bench is about like 5 or 6 or something like that over on your. Oh, OK, can you wait because

00:34:39.370 - 00:35:00.198

I'm I'm busy right now and maybe later on I'll bring them over to you. OK, I'll I'll do that. OK, thank you. Yeah, it's OK. I got it all on tape. Um I was also turned that off. I suddenly had to do to drive away, um.

00:35:01.550 - 00:35:20.969

So you, you were nominated to run for what, uh, uh, business agent agent, yeah, yeah, that was like 3 months of we started to strike. I didn't. I didn't win for her. I was sure by 11 months or so for her actually I think somewhere I

00:35:20.969 - 00:35:42.659

have the the slate of candidates at home, I think, um. Did you How did you run your campaign and what did you try to, what points did you try to make when you were asking for yours? Uh, yes, the. I didn't really had a, you know,

00:35:42.780 - 00:36:02.110

to tell you the truth, I didn't really had a. Anything together, you know, that the people were, uh, supporting me and, and they, they suggested that I would run and you know I, I, I said, I said, you know, I don't think you know I'm ready

00:36:02.110 - 00:36:17.590

for this. I mean I've never done anything like this and he said no, you should put your name on it. So I said, well, OK, so you know that happened and it was so quick, you know, that you know that I think the. The vote came

00:36:17.590 - 00:36:39.770

shortly and right and I, I didn't win and pretty much I guess the only. Did any of the uh the the the people's play candidates were? You know Joe Bay was elected business agent. He's actually you were running against him, weren't you? On that time here.

00:36:42.260 - 00:37:01.810

It's possible on here, yeah, um, those 3 positions, I think, right. After the election were people discouraged or? No, no, no, just something, no, you didn't put a whole lot of emphasis on like that. No, we, we kept on, you know, we, we focus on, on

00:37:01.810 - 00:37:22.120

the bike, right? Let me ask you about the Richard Shaw settlements. First of all, I mean, you all have taken I guess about a 47 hour pay cut or something uh. So that a few years earlier so that you were being paid less people yeah, tell

00:37:22.120 - 00:37:40.800

me a little bit about that. I mean, is that First of all, the people actually vote to accept that and that's what Richard Kings has gone ahead and did. Uh. Well they they told us that uh. If we would take a 40 cents they got. That

00:37:40.800 - 00:37:55.370

that would oh that once because the company was doing bad, you know, they came and cried to us and, and they said, you know, you think, uh, 40 cent we need you, they said we need your help. We need you to put a separate 40 cent

00:37:55.370 - 00:38:13.330

cut. So and, and we'll make it up to you later. So, so when, when the contract time comes and instead of, you know, we were expecting the 40 cents back. You know, and then instead of that they, they wanted to lower it more, you know, and,

00:38:13.389 - 00:38:40.179

and they have to turn the contract expired. It was like 8 something. So 7:56 or something like that. Yeah, it's show they've been paying what 97 $968 yeah, and the Green Giant was getting more 8 something. Did you have much contact with the workers and the

00:38:40.179 - 00:39:00.570

other other clients? no. Now, one thing that Alex uh told me was that he arrived in town. He was supposed to sort of see what kind of shape Loman 1 was in whether, you know, he was, I guess they were concerned that Richard King might not

00:39:00.570 - 00:39:23.030

be able to handle the situation. And he concluded that he wasn't, but he also came to the conclusion that uh Richard Shaw. Should not be struck, but it was like um. What console basically had set the situation up so that he could. Of course both plants

00:39:23.030 - 00:39:41.709

out on strike and then dropped Rick Shaw out of business and then his first job was to You know, basically come to a settlement with Sean and then concentrate on defeating Conso. Is that, is that how you saw it at the time. Yeah, it kind of

00:39:41.709 - 00:40:01.510

makes sense. I mean it's not that it is the right thing to do, but uh. But uh yeah because that way you know Richard Shaw was a competitor to watch in Canon so if they get the competition out of you know out you know that they

00:40:01.510 - 00:40:20.889

would be doing better, you know, for people that wants to go angry about the show I was. Well, we didn't like it because it was less and, and we knew that that they took the settlement, you know, that we were gonna be next. We had no

00:40:20.889 - 00:40:44.229

choice yeah what people demoralize go show I went back to work. Yes and no. Oh. Yes, because you know they were, they went back to work with, you know, less pay, less benefits, um, and no, because, uh, you know, they went back to work with the

00:40:44.229 - 00:41:04.629

union contract and, and with benefits also. And benefits for the, you know, for everybody it wasn't like anybody was cut off if they were it was mainly a pay cut that they took there, um, and then they had that that need to clause in the contracts

00:41:04.629 - 00:41:29.280

so that if if you settle for less and they would have their wages reduced to so that kind of increased the pressure on you guys. How did people feel about that? You want to go well bad. Uh, But uh But at the same time we, we

00:41:29.280 - 00:41:50.780

didn't give up, you know, we, you know, people of us we can stay, stay together and strong in the shop people help you out, wanna take a line or whatever. Uh, well, not much. I said, I said he settle, uh. Probably because they were working and

00:41:50.780 - 00:42:10.010

they have time or or because they didn't wanna get involved and the. Because you know Shaw, you know, had a bad reputation of being a mean, really. I mean, but I didn't know that. What was, what was, why would we have a bad reputation. Uh, Well

00:42:10.010 - 00:42:31.090

that's the way he was, uh, probably his heart was a good guy, you know, but, uh, but, uh, you know, he would. Put up a shot, you know, he was. Dick Shaw and his sons were running the the plant. So, so some, a lot of times

00:42:31.090 - 00:42:47.350

they were not in agreement, you know, the father and the son, so they would start arguing in front of the people, yeah, and sometimes even. You a lot, yeah, how was it working for consult? I mean, before the strike started, was he, those are a decent

00:42:47.350 - 00:43:07.459

place to work. I mean, is it the the work environment, guys. I was watching you can. Yeah, what cannon. I mean, did, is there a lot of tension working in that place even before, before the strike, or, well, everybody was. Mm, well, years before, no, I

00:43:07.459 - 00:43:24.989

mean there was a lot of work and, and I mean you can you stay so busy that you don't have time to think anything else and, and, and if you compare your, you know, paycheck with other workers, you were, you were doing better, yeah, so you

00:43:24.989 - 00:43:39.870

didn't, you didn't mind working hard. Because you knew that you were gonna get paid. Did you have any contact with console with my console before the strike? You, you never know, the workers. I, I heard stories about him, you know, he kind of one thing that

00:43:39.870 - 00:44:04.040

Gloria mentioned was that he. Fired this, you know, notorious union boasting law firm gave me some very bad advice. Um, I think I remember that Mendelson he she and something or other. Did, did you know about them? Yeah, when during the strike, yeah, he found out

00:44:04.040 - 00:44:19.770

during this trial. Gloria was of the opinion that basically that was what prompted him to think he could get rid of the union as these lawyers from San Francisco told him. Um, and then his whole attitude changed after that. Oh yeah, they were, they were. Those

00:44:19.770 - 00:44:39.840

lawyers were totally against humans, you know, you, you, you could tell that. Do you think that, that, uh, you know, competition for Mexican frozen food plants is really a serious issue for console? I, I think so, yeah, you know, later on I found out because there

00:44:39.840 - 00:45:01.010

was studies done it started before the strike, yeah, don't remember the name but it was, was there like less overtime available for people who want it and so on, I mean, uh, were there people laid off anything like that. Uh, well, actually. Uh, actually we were

00:45:01.010 - 00:45:17.560

working good, you know, right up to the strike, yeah, yeah, yeah, we're part of your business. Well, I think we were, you know, we were working even more just before the strike because we figured out later that as far as building up, building up the inventory.

00:45:18.830 - 00:45:31.469

Well, no, that's, but that's perishable, right? I mean how many. Uh, basically the 500 and freeze it and then sort of put it in the warehouse and let it sit. And you figured it would be as much as 12 months before he got rid of you

00:45:31.469 - 00:45:56.300

guys, right? Well they can they can keep it in, yeah they keep it the same, yeah, um. When During the course of strike, if you start really losing a lot of money. He had this he had this line of credit from the bank. He had all

00:45:56.300 - 00:46:18.929

this this stuff stockpiled, and yes, somewhere along the line there, he really started to hurt financially. He eventually went for. Yeah we found that out later, you know that. And, and also because of, you know, the. Scats that they were working there, you know, they were

00:46:18.929 - 00:46:37.479

not producing well we were producing before and and. Well, they used to bus them from around, you know, different areas out of town. I don't, I don't watch them. Did you get to know any of them, get to talk to any of them? We try, but

00:46:37.889 - 00:46:52.750

can't convince them because they were offered, you know, uh, you know, work, and then there was a lot of people out of work and. Well, when you had the recertification vote, you actually, uh, did do some leafletting inside the plan and you know I think I

00:46:52.750 - 00:47:12.199

saw, I saw a leaflet in one of the files. So you, you had some contact with them. How did you get those leases inside the plant for this cawa? Well, you're refreshing my memory, but yeah, I, I think we went inside the plant. You were able

00:47:12.199 - 00:47:30.780

to go here, yeah, but, but, but it was an agreement that we were gonna go, yeah, I guess by law or something that you know if the if the election's going on you're allowed to to talk to people about. And because you guys were not disqualified

00:47:30.780 - 00:47:44.179

from voting, you could, you could go in there so you you couldn't go in there to work you go in there to talk to other workers yes. How did you get in contact with, I mean look at about 100 people left town in the course of

00:47:44.179 - 00:48:00.800

the strike was that the that was the figure I heard. Were you involved at all in tracking those people down and bringing them back for the phone? Well, we had, you know, every time we had meetings, uh, we would ask people to update their, you know,

00:48:00.879 - 00:48:18.669

had a list of people, uh, we had our own list, you know, the committee had our own, we had our own list of workers and, uh, and, uh. And we would ask people to update their phone numbers, you know, and addresses and try to keep them,

00:48:18.790 - 00:48:34.919

you know, to make sure that we could get in touch with them. Were there any people you had trouble tracking down when you try to get people back in town for the boats? If it was, it was very little, you know, because if we didn't communicate

00:48:34.919 - 00:48:51.229

with them they they would communicate with somebody and you know to get enough data as to. You know, because people had to move out, they had to leave, you know, they had to make a living, where did they go. Well, different places, some, some even went

00:48:51.469 - 00:49:11.879

back to Mexico, yeah, and they came back with the vote and they came back, yeah, how many would you say were in Mexico? Do you have any idea? No, but probably a small portion, mhm, yeah, just the fact that they came big deal, yeah, yeah. Um,

00:49:12.949 - 00:49:39.100

Now before the vote. You were actually looking at the possibility that you might be decertified in September. Mhm uh What would have happened if that had actually if they had actually just decertified you? Would you have with people that just, I mean, did you, were you

00:49:39.100 - 00:49:56.500

making plans about how to deal with that possibility or did they ever get that far? You know, I didn't, I don't think we really put much attention to that because we felt pretty sure that I guess because we knew we were right, we knew that that

00:49:56.500 - 00:50:10.229

wasn't gonna happen. Yeah, you never figured that, well, they certified that you certified they're still trying to I guess we didn't, we didn't lose the faith in ourselves. You figured they would basically need to take you guys back at some point anyway just to make the

00:50:10.229 - 00:50:25.139

plan work right. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, there was a lot of skills outside. Did you have much information about problems they were having with the, the produce and stuff they were turning out? Oh yes, how did you get the where the stories come from? What kind

00:50:25.139 - 00:50:42.699

of things did you hear? Well, from people that was working inside, uh, you know, and uh some people that were working, they, they were salary people that they were non-union, you know, some of them, they just couldn't put up with with that anymore and then they

00:50:42.699 - 00:51:01.790

couldn't stand it and they. OK, I know there was one that came to the newspaper and talked to the newspaper, really, so that would be what the, the, the register for Itaruz Santa Cruz, uh, like that. So somebody who actually had been working and a supervisor

00:51:06.699 - 00:51:25.270

uh supervisors and this, this, this stuff coming out of the, yeah, and, and I guess we saw that there was uh. It wasn't right, you know, to produce something that was not properly sanitized or, you know, he was worried about safety, safety and health. Yes, yeah,

00:51:25.639 - 00:51:51.080

where did you go? I mean, where did you wind up working. Uh, I, he went out of town. Oh, he went out to work for, for another company and I think he even went to Mexico. Yeah I remember um. After the vote, after the election, and

00:51:51.080 - 00:52:07.679

then after the straw settlement there was a uh a Women's Day program I guess in in in March of 1986. And a Women's Day program I guess and then I guess Jesse Jackson came to town, yeah, that I remember because I remember going down for that

00:52:08.199 - 00:52:30.780

from the Bay Area. Um, How do people feel about that? I mean, did that help raise people's? Oh yeah, that, that helped a lot, you know, we had, you know, everybody there, you know, he was a national figure and uh. And he was Such a good

00:52:30.780 - 00:52:54.939

talker, you know, yeah, yeah, he would bring the all of the people, you know, and, and he would walk with you, you know, you know, he would mix with the people, you know. And so you could feel the. Strength. Yeah, um, After that New certification vote.

00:52:57.250 - 00:53:16.010

At that point I guess conso got his credit cut off from the bank. And it looked like he was gonna go into bankruptcy. What? Sergio said that actually he started getting pressure from the international at that point, the Joint Council 7 that that uh There's some

00:53:16.010 - 00:53:32.229

talk about putting the union and trusteeship because even if console went broke, you know, you'd still be out on strike but I still wouldn't be operating. Uh, there was no clear sense of how it was gonna be resolved. Did you hear anything about that, the uh

00:53:32.229 - 00:53:55.260

possibility of trustee you did hear from Sergio or from others? From Sergio and uh yeah because there was people that were sent in from the international like uh JC what was his name that JC and uh Um, and they did they, did they mix much with

00:53:55.260 - 00:54:16.850

you? Did they talk much to the strikers? Uh, Rodriguez, yeah, Jesus, he was the one guy that, that Glo remembered actually. Oh yeah, JC, he was more like yeah, yeah, he was dark glasses and then, you know. That's fine and yeah, yeah, so you creep people

00:54:16.850 - 00:54:33.429

out a little bit, yeah, um, what, what, what role did they play? I mean, you think they played a good role, or were they just gonna keep an eye on things or what? Uh it's hard to tell. It's hard to tell, yeah, but they mentioned the

00:54:33.429 - 00:54:55.739

possibility of a trustee. They helped with the recertification though, didn't they were they like driving people down the veterans. Yeah, uh huh, oh yeah, mhm. No, the. The sanctions campaign that the teams should do against the uh against console. Were the strikers involved in that at

00:54:55.739 - 00:55:10.580

all? I mean, I know there were, I remember a picket line at a Wells Fargo bank at one point. There's a picture of a bunch of the women sort of standing in the lobby of the bank going like this. Um, Yeah, we, we used to. Go

00:55:10.580 - 00:55:29.600

and demonstrate against the world so we and we went to San Francisco at one time I remember doing that. And it. People I mean customers, was there any talk that you couldn't be doing it, that it might be getting the union into a difficult legal situation

00:55:29.600 - 00:55:55.300

if you targeted the bank like that? I think so, yeah. Treads pretty sure, you know, for her, you know, they, they re you, you know, stuff, yeah. Did you Hey you, were you surprised when you heard that David you was interested in buying the plant? Uh,

00:55:55.419 - 00:56:17.209

yeah, how did you hear about it? Through, uh, Sergio or the, the, the union, yeah, this is fairly late in the game right in late 1986. Uh, did you know Gil? No, you just, just respond that, you know, when you were doing that, you know, you

00:56:17.209 - 00:56:37.270

handled his broccoli. That was about all you knew about the guy here. Um Were there other farmers that console was in debt to besides him? What I heard, yeah, that he owed, you know, a lot of farmers, you know, not, not just one but uh a

00:56:37.270 - 00:56:57.659

lot of them. Did any of those farmers show any sympathy for the strikers? I don't think so. No, so you're just mad at console, give us our money, you know, your labor is your issue so they're not ours here. Um, I'm, I'm just curious as to

00:56:57.659 - 00:57:25.290

like how he. He clearly thought he had you guys in a very tight spot console there. Uh, he certainly acted as though he did. I'm wondering how he felt after that. The recertification is what happens. Well. Yeah, you're right. I think he, he, uh, uh, thought

00:57:25.290 - 00:57:45.729

that we were gonna go back crawling on our knees in 5 days or a week. I think that that's what we heard, you know, rumors. But 118 months went by and we were still strong, uh, you know. But she really liked that, you know, because things

00:57:45.729 - 00:58:06.239

changed, but he was so stubborn that, you know, he could have prevented, you know, all these things about owing money to the growers and, and, and, and going under, you know, or, or being close to go under, uh, he could have prevented us by. By bringing

00:58:06.239 - 00:58:20.199

us back to work and and sign a contract, but I guess because of his stubbornness here, he said, no, I'm not gonna do that. I'm, I'm not gonna give up, but they're gonna have to give up, you know, that's, that's what you know, it, it's funny

00:58:20.199 - 00:58:34.620

you say this. I, a couple of days ago I actually got a hold of the fellow that. Um, he was the lawyer for David Gill, I guess he was one of the most fine uh what his name, uh, Dick Malton, um, and he said these are

00:58:34.620 - 00:58:51.040

exactly I settled that strike in an hour. Nobody wanted to go on. I don't know what Mort was thinking. Yeah. It it it it it would have been so easy to settle if he had just, you know. Uh Did you know him, by the way? Did

00:58:51.040 - 00:59:08.040

you, I mean, you actually were part of those last negotiations, weren't you that finally did we, was there an elected committee that went in to negotiate with David G or was Sergio was in some negotiations, yeah, yeah. Who, who was on it? My new lawyer was

00:59:08.040 - 00:59:30.459

from from um was she on the on the negotiating committee. Um, Sergio, Sergio was the head of that yeah and you you went up to the Joint Council 7 office there in San Francisco, yeah, and, and also of the of the plan, right, yeah, we had

00:59:30.459 - 00:59:57.419

meetings where did the negotiations start? Just right after I bought the place. I don't recall you know but uh. But how many do you recall how many of those negotiating meetings you went to? Yeah. Not, not, not a lot, not a lot. Res, yeah, so many,

00:59:57.979 - 01:00:16.409

so many, so many things, yeah, I guess the one thing that became an issue is, is that treating people as new hires, uh, for getting their health benefits, you know that held up the satellite finally. Um, Was that a problem for you when it when it

01:00:16.409 - 01:00:35.709

first came out that that the seasonal people might have to wait a few years before they got their help, um, yeah, because. You know, the way we thought was, OK, what, what if I lose my. Job and then later on I get rehired, you know that

01:00:35.719 - 01:00:55.800

that's what they really like, you know, if you will get rehired later on, you're gonna be treated as a new hire and you're not losing your benefits and that's something that negotiations. You know, we came back. That's that I remember that when negotiated that we came

01:00:55.800 - 01:01:12.770

back in the first month that we get the 80 hours that we will be getting our health insurance back and our our benefits. Oh wait a minute there was a there was a new plan, right, with Nor frozen foods, yeah, and because there was a new

01:01:12.770 - 01:01:35.149

plant. Uh, also, you know, like the pension, uh, the what I learned, you know, that, that, there's a clause that it was a, a new plan. That would come in in in the pension department. You will get some credits, you know, it's kind of convoluted, you

01:01:35.149 - 01:02:00.879

know, uh, you know, you know, only attention people person can, uh, explain that better, but, but that was a benefit to us and also to the company. So that was something that, but the health benefits um. I'm just trying, if I remember right. I came back

01:02:00.879 - 01:02:21.399

with a tentative agreement. Uh, it treated the. Uh It treated everybody as a new hire, so and if you were a seasonal worker, you did not get your health benefits right away. You had to go back like for 2 or 3 or 4 years before you

01:02:21.399 - 01:02:35.409

would qualify for them. And that people objected to that and that's why you wound up going back to the bargaining table. It was when we, what I remember is when we came back we came back with our seniority. They ordered a seniority that you had a

01:02:35.409 - 01:02:52.330

seniority on here, but I mean I'm, I'm remembering that there was a there was a hunger strike and then uh you know the women marched on their knees to the church and so and that was about the health benefits, wasn't it? They all together yeah. Um,

01:03:00.250 - 01:03:20.580

So you don't recall that there was specifically people speaking against the agreements uh when it was first announced because the health benefits were not taken care of. Oh yeah, they were. Oh yeah, it was there. People those uh. But you know this time we were meeting

01:03:20.580 - 01:03:51.340

in. In San Francisco, we were coming back. And uh I think they already knew about the settlement or somewhat and there was some people that came in. And uh, Distorted the the real thing and they were speaking against against the agreement that the union had with

01:03:51.709 - 01:04:13.500

with the company. But that was a distortion that, that was, it wasn't right because how is it how is it wrong? What was the distortion but there were. They were, I remember that they were telling people the the committee or the negotiating committee were not telling

01:04:13.500 - 01:04:34.590

the truth and uh that we didn't do enough so they were just blaming. yeah, and this is people that. That we're not even members of the union because you know when you're not a member of the union you're not involved I mean you don't care. I

01:04:34.590 - 01:04:55.929

mean you're you're, you're not there for 18 months, you know, without work or you know. So that they, you know, some people wanted to. Keep the stride longer, you know, well it it lasts another 7 days and as a result of that, I think so, yeah.

01:04:57.000 - 01:05:13.469

And that problem did get taken care of. I mean in the final agreement, people got there, everybody had their benefits. So what what was involved in getting that take? What was involved in fixing that? What do you have to do? Uh How did you have to

01:05:13.469 - 01:05:38.489

rewrite the agreement? Were you involved with that? I mean, you were on the negotiating committee. I don't Really remember her, you know. Yeah, to tell you the truth, you know, but, uh, but I know that the things that were done. We're done, you know, for the

01:05:38.489 - 01:05:54.860

good, thinking of the good of the people, you know, workers, yeah, but I mean it, it came out fine, you know, I mean whatever it was that people objected to got taken care of, um. Was the agreement actually the the first agreement actually loaded down or

01:05:54.860 - 01:06:18.620

the able to sort to say go back to the negotiating table and talk some more, do you remember? No, yes. Um, I wanna go back a little bit earlier um. You say you basically, you know, you're working in as as a a floor leader. Uh, for

01:06:18.620 - 01:06:37.790

what all this here. For a little bit, you know, a little bit of time too, so I did that too, actually, yes, a different part of the plan, yeah, my, my last, well, several years, I, I. Switch to the maintenance department, so we are the mechanic.

01:06:39.600 - 01:06:57.629

running the boilers, the steam boilers, yeah, yeah. I, I guess I, I'd like to talk a little bit because this is about what happened after the strike. Um, I know you became, what was your position in the union? Were you a trustee or, uh, the 3

01:06:57.629 - 01:07:18.979

years later, you know, uh-huh. Well, this was in '85 when there was when we went on strike. In 1985 there were there was election times, you know, and, and Iran. For the decision and and I didn't win and 3 years later, you know, people encouraged me

01:07:18.979 - 01:07:31.699

to to run again. What did you for business agents didn't see, so that was, that was what you did. And all of a sudden that's, yeah, and you pretty much did it for the rest of your, you know, until you retired, yeah, for 13 years, yeah.

01:07:32.840 - 01:07:47.639

And that I would guess would be a tough time to be an officer in the in the local. I mean you're seeing a lot of plants shut down. Oh yes. Uh-huh. Well, first I had to learn, you know, about more, you know, about what my, my

01:07:47.639 - 01:08:03.879

job was first day in the jobs, OK, I got elected now. What I, what do I do? What am I supposed to do? Yeah, yeah, but I, I had the help of another business agent who who was really good and he guided me and introduced me

01:08:03.879 - 01:08:29.350

to different, you know. Representatives, company representatives, and you, you went down to Mexico to Look at some of the plants that were sort of the runaway shops. Can you, can you tell me about that? Um, yeah, uh. What um What exactly did you do? Well we

01:08:29.350 - 01:08:54.140

went to. The food processing plants in Mexico competitors we went to one in Samoa, Michoacan and one in Pra Puerto. Or Green Giant were these owned by people who had owned plans in Watsonville before, or were they just competitors that it's from? Well, Green Giant, yeah,

01:08:54.379 - 01:09:16.660

you know, had a plan in, in, in Watsonville and they had a plan in Guaato, Mexico, and you actually. I remember the first time I ever heard research speak actually I went to it was in '93 I believe. And it was a um. A meeting that

01:09:16.660 - 01:09:37.679

uh the Justice for janitors in San Jose had called and you know Cardenist came and spoke. And um It was about the North American Free Trade Agreement and actually what I remember was that Sergio really kind of stole the show and Carlos was a big celebrity,

01:09:37.708 - 01:09:49.238

but Sergio was one that got there and said, you know, because a lot of those guys in the audience. They wanted to go home, you know, they didn't want to be stuck in working the midnight shift, you know, vacuuming floors in an office building in San

01:09:49.238 - 01:10:08.120

Jose, and they said, what's, what's so terrible about. Are being able to go back and work in Mexico, you know. And Sergio said uh. When have American corporations going to Mexico ever brought us anything but grief, you know, it's like I, you know, I. I grew

01:10:08.120 - 01:10:19.839

up in Mexico and I was educated in schools. I learned the same history you guys did, you know, you know what stand, you know, it was a terrific speech, and he had people were nodding their heads and, uh, so I mean, I, the sense I got

01:10:19.839 - 01:10:43.879

was that 9/12 was really very deeply involved in trying to fight that agreement. Was it that when you went down south to people down there or uh? Well, around that time, yeah, uh, but I mean he was so knowledgeable I think because of his involvement. And

01:10:45.040 - 01:11:11.089

Somebody else, uh, even I think even John Martinelli from, from I think they were also involved about, you know, by American and, uh, but about the free trade agreement. With the help of Sergio, I, I think they want, you know, they, they, they. Something became a

01:11:11.089 - 01:11:33.140

law about the labels I think yeah. But it didn't stop the no, no, no, but I, but I, I mean he, he was so knowledgeable in here in here, well, uh. You spent some time down there conditions in the plants down there. Did you talk to

01:11:33.140 - 01:11:53.000

workers in those plants. I, we talk to workers. They wouldn't let us in the plans or we sneak in a little bit and then they kicked us out, uh, but, uh, I mean it was awful I mean the. You know, like, in a puerto, you know,

01:11:54.049 - 01:12:14.129

that's where we spend most of the time, and there see the workers there, most of the workers that live in the colonia, you know, like the outskirts of town, and, you know, with no phones. Uh, so the company will send the bus to pick him up

01:12:14.129 - 01:12:25.620

and, and they didn't know what time they were gonna work, you know, they didn't have a schedule or sometimes, you know, they had a schedule, but now we're waiting and then they would go or they would go to the plan and to work and, uh, they

01:12:25.620 - 01:12:36.680

were not put to work and then, you know, they didn't get paid because they didn't have a union contract or anything. If they didn't put the work they didn't get put to work. I mean they, they didn't get paid. Did you find a lot of people

01:12:36.680 - 01:12:58.850

who've been farming who have basically lost? Lost their land weren't able to do it anymore and that's why they're working in these places. No, we didn't, no. We talked mostly to to workers and they happen to be working in those places. Because, uh, most of them

01:12:58.850 - 01:13:15.959

were women also, you know, just like watching them, yeah, and, uh. And you were, you know, like housewives, uh, you know, if they were to work they would get an extra income to, to bring. You know, to help the funding, did you have the idea of

01:13:15.959 - 01:13:39.020

organizing them, or, you know, the Teamsters doing something in Mexico or what? What was, what was, what were you, what were you trying to do trying to do to let. The uh. People in the United States know, yeah, what conditions were those workers that were producing

01:13:39.020 - 01:14:08.049

the product, you know. So this is to educate people in this country was not to. About against Mexico or anything like that, you know, there's how many people are in local around 12 now? No, here. Uh, Not sure. I haven't, yeah, well, when you retired. He

01:14:08.049 - 01:14:30.500

won Down to probably about 3000 really how many were there at the time of the strike? 89,000 years so. 1/3 as large as it used to be. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, and now it's even this because, you know, after that, uh, you've got one frozen food

01:14:30.500 - 01:14:52.370

plant left in town right no more, no more foods, yeah, they got a union shop, yeah, um, everybody else is either shut down or they're going down. Did Richard Shaw eventually buy out David Gill? Well we should show, I mean they're, they're gone they're out of

01:14:52.370 - 01:15:06.080

time, it's um, yeah, but the company. I mean, I, I just, I, I heard that and I thought, well this is interesting. Conso was supposed to be trying to drive Shaw out of business and he wound up having Shaw buy the plant that had belonged to

01:15:06.080 - 01:15:32.339

him. 00 yeah, yeah. Well, they wasn't the time when No to, you know, they, they disappear and what was it like working for David Gill? I mean, did, did things change much when, when he took over the, uh, the company? No, no, we. Came back to

01:15:32.339 - 01:15:52.660

work, uh, when we came back to work in March of 1987, yeah. Oh. We all came back with a heads up, you know, he still had some scabs in the plant though. You had to work alongside it. They just disappear. Yeah, was that, uh, was there

01:15:52.660 - 01:16:11.910

tension as a result? Is there tension between the people who've been on strike and the people who have been scattered? Well, obviously, you know, there was resentment, you know. Uh, to those people. But You know, we were told that, you know, they're, they're workers and we

01:16:11.910 - 01:16:31.680

have to obey, you know, respect, you know, the, the contract and that whatever the agreement was that, you know, but they did some of them, how many of them did stick around after the strike ended. Not, not very many. I think it was mostly key people

01:16:31.680 - 01:16:50.459

that they care, some, some key people, but there were a lot of people in there scamming who just didn't know what they were doing were doing the kind. Um, yes, um, today. Become union members any of them after the strike people they had to they had

01:16:50.459 - 01:17:17.450

to, yeah, uh, did you get to know one of them? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I used to work with one of the mechanics. Yeah, we used to work in the same department. Yeah, which is a problem working with them. In my heart, yes, but, but not, no,

01:17:17.600 - 01:17:37.819

uh, no, I mean we just, uh, I mean I, I knew I had to get along, you know, there was no, no benefit to try to fight or anything, you know, yeah. But, uh, obviously, yeah, there was something that you don't feel right because these people

01:17:37.819 - 01:18:02.290

can, you know, when they to take your jobs, you know. Uh, did you? No Anything about a um. I, I heard the story from actually from Sergio and from Alex too. And I, I have a feeling it's one of the things that nobody else knew about

01:18:02.290 - 01:18:20.339

our negotiating session with counsel right after the shot. Where they went in there and they found Andy Anderson sitting across the table from them next to what console. Uh, I guess he, he was about to be replaced as the head of the Western Conference of Teamsters,

01:18:20.379 - 01:18:38.490

and he was, he pretty much gone over to the dark side, you know, uh. Did that, did, did people know about that or is it something that was kept secret? Uh, I mean, I, I found out through researchio also because I mean I didn't even know

01:18:38.490 - 01:19:07.959

who the guy was and uh. So they just, I guess there are also I guess to keep our heads up, you know, and to let us know what kind of You know people were dealing with yeah my console, yeah, and. There's people. You know there's people

01:19:08.569 - 01:19:27.310

everywhere that somebody's gonna, you know, and do damage, you know, so that story amazed me, you know, because it made you realize what. What an accomplishment it was to get the teamsters to commit as much as they did to that strike I mean it cost them

01:19:27.310 - 01:19:51.720

a fortune, um, and it really kind of went against past practice in a lot of ways. Do you feel that the um The union was transformed by that strike. We, we, yeah, I, I think so. We, we learned a lot. I mean, uh, because, you know,

01:19:51.839 - 01:20:07.399

when we were working there, I was, you know, speaking for myself, you know, you know, we used to go to work and work hard, put a lot of hours, bring a good check and, and then enjoy the weekend with the family and other than that I

01:20:07.399 - 01:20:25.839

would. Really get much involvement with the union or doing any anything, you know, much of anything, but, uh, you know, after the strike or when the strike, you know, came on then. You know, then we started, you know, looking around us, you know, because before we

01:20:25.839 - 01:20:42.529

didn't do that, and, you know, what's up there, what's uh we learned that. You know that there's other people out there that care for you if if you're in need, you know, we found out that there was so many good people and not just locally but

01:20:42.529 - 01:21:03.169

from other states, you know, because I used to get letters, you know, those. There were some people that some workers from I was in Ohio, you know, there was some workers that every month they will send a small check, uh, to the strikers and the farm

01:21:03.169 - 01:21:19.470

workers union back there, the farm labor organizing committee has told them we gonna asks out there. So you say Ohio that's what I think of. I'm not sure. I'm just bringing this, you know, but there was, you know, some workers come out. Oh yeah, uh huh,

01:21:19.799 - 01:21:34.819

but there were some workers, you know, and they were just workers. They would send a check, small check, but every, every month they will send help, you know, because you know my wife actually was helping out with the uh. The strike by the commercial club workers

01:21:34.819 - 01:21:56.339

in San Francisco, you know, Chinatown. And I guess they we had a lot of support from uh Northern California yeah yeah yeah yeah. What was that line you know if you have a bowl of rice, we'll share it with you right there, uh. Um, And yet

01:21:56.580 - 01:22:18.819

I mean I remember the hormone strike got a tremendous amount of publicity, you know, it's on the evening news night after night after night. I thought what you guys were doing was in some ways. Even more important because it's like um. He started with so much

01:22:18.819 - 01:22:33.609

less, you know, um, you didn't have a real strong union union in that plan. You didn't have people who you never went to meetings until the strike started, that the intention of the strike started. I think a lot of this. Uh, you know, or no, I,

01:22:33.970 - 01:22:48.620

uh, they had a union there which is very. Well organized right now let me check it yet. You were the ones who lasted 18 months, you know, yeah, I think that to work for the victory and not, you know, not having a union broker and so

01:22:48.620 - 01:23:08.770

on. I think that, I think, you know, that happened because they hurt our feelings. Because see we were so dedicated to work and to work hard and produce, you know, and produce for the company. I mean we're making the company rich and, and the more I

01:23:08.770 - 01:23:23.979

mean I remember when I first started working there, you know, uh you know the. Floor leaders, but they had an instructed to come and push on the people. Hey ladies, hurry up and hurry up and just walking back and forth the line. So people were working

01:23:23.979 - 01:23:36.854

so hard, you know, they won't let them talk. They, I mean, if you start talking, they would shut you down. It's all. this way and not just before the strike. So there was a, you know, the production was high and every year we were doing better

01:23:36.854 - 01:23:53.709

and trying to find ways everybody was cooperating, you know, and we were working so hard and we were so dedicated and then, you know, there's. Tried to step on us and they made us angry. What car was Point yard when he took over the prayer his

01:23:53.709 - 01:24:07.390

father died and he had to leave law school and take over the family business. What was he like when he first took over? Was he, did he run? was there a change from the way his father? Well, there was a change before the strike there was

01:24:07.390 - 01:24:31.419

this, uh, he hired this, uh, brand managers because Smiley, yeah, yeah, and, I mean when Smiley came in that, that changed everything's people really hated him, yeah. You know, first when he first came in, he was, uh, he was coming to the line introducing himself to

01:24:31.419 - 01:24:46.060

every lady that was working on the line. Oh, my name is Smiley Busco, and, um, the new plan and she, you know, one by one, you know, I used to see him walking down the lines talking to people, but then, uh, you know, as soon as

01:24:46.060 - 01:25:04.240

he started knowing the people and then, you know. He was just, I guess, you know, there, you know, like to find out what was it all, you know, what kind of people we were or maybe to he thought he, he probably thought that the people are

01:25:04.240 - 01:25:23.470

gonna be on his side when, when he was wrong, you know, and, and that, you know, people know dummies even though we look like dummies, but you know, but we're not. I mean, I mean. Did you ever have a problem with him yourself? No, no, because

01:25:23.470 - 01:25:39.129

you know when you do everything right and, and, and you don't, you know that that you don't deserve to be treated bad, you know, you, you don't let people treat you bad, you know. You just didn't like his style, no, no, I mean a hypocrite, he's

01:25:39.129 - 01:25:59.779

a hypocrite, you know, you could tell, you could, you can tell if you see much console on the plan. No. This buddy named Gloria said that, you know, and he was when his mother was like that in charge yeah you know he she'd bring the kid

01:25:59.779 - 01:26:17.500

in you know. I said, Well, what was he like? Oh, he was very handsome, you know, like, young and, you know, at that time. He just thought he was heading off to law school. I mean, I'm, I'm just wondering whether there was really a change in

01:26:17.500 - 01:26:37.660

him or whether he was always. Pretty much, uh, you, you didn't have these kinds of problems when his father was alive. And actually Sergio spoke with his father and back. I mean this is this guy who started business from scratch and all that that uh. And

01:26:37.660 - 01:26:52.339

um look at how it ended. I mean the kid took over the place and pretty much ran into the ground trying to break the union, um, yeah, that's the feeling that I that I got is that you know his father. I mean, even though he was

01:26:52.339 - 01:27:15.359

strict, you know, businessman, you know, uh, but he would run more like a business and like humans, you know, if we, you know, was strict with the people and pushing people to work hard, you know, but at the same time I think he was, uh. You

01:27:15.359 - 01:27:36.729

know, he would recognize that without the people, I mean there's no, the company is nothing, you know, and, and that's what the. His son did. They didn't understand that. Yeah. Did, did the work change in any dramatic ways in the 23 years you were there before

01:27:36.729 - 01:27:55.529

the strike? And I know one thing that happened was um. Uh, Well, I guess they, they brought the forklifts in in the 50s right before you started working there, but that would have really drastically changed the makeup of the workers that, that, you know, they could

01:27:55.529 - 01:28:10.169

hire a lot more women once they have forklifts in there and kind of move the stuff around and everything. But there was a lot of mechanization and a lot of work that me like for example, the Brussels sprouts, you know, they used to run Brussels sprouts,

01:28:10.209 - 01:28:31.750

and that's one thing that I remember they used to have about 90 women. You know, and those dreamers that they to to ring the but the buses out to cut it off and uh. And then they got some machines that would do it. So instead of

01:28:31.750 - 01:28:50.990

having 90 women, they would have like maybe about 7 people on each machine. 40 something with different machines. Probably in the 70s, you remember Gloria talking about people kind of losing the ends of their fingers on those machines. This whole stream of water would come out.

01:28:51.399 - 01:29:19.799

Yeah, yeah, like high pressure, yeah. Yeah, but the plant kept growing. I mean they kept adding more people. Oh yeah, yeah, production, especially here and and council invested a lot of money and uh. New machinery right before the strike. They did uh. Yeah, for example, those,

01:29:19.879 - 01:29:43.569

uh, blanchers, you know, the. Cook the spinach, I mean if uh. You know, with the new stainless steel and. More efficient, you know, to, to cook the spinach faster and more puns per per minute, you know, you said you worked in maintenance for a while. Did

01:29:43.569 - 01:30:02.270

you, did you repair any of those machines or, uh, I took care of pretty much of the boilers, you know, the boilers, yeah, the produce the thing, yeah. That wasn't but I was familiar with those because when I was working in the cleaning too we had

01:30:02.270 - 01:30:21.490

to clean it or put people to clean it and Hm. I wanted to um. You said that after you had that initial meeting with the strikers' committee was selected, you guys would meet every week or sometimes every month or that group of 11 people who were

01:30:21.490 - 01:30:32.439

elected and you would also have a big meetings where everybody could come in. What kinds of things came up at those big meetings with people just come up and say, you know, so and so is about to be evicted. They need help or that kind of

01:30:32.439 - 01:30:47.200

thing, or were there questions that came up like should we pick at this or did you plan? I know there were some demonstrations I went to a few of them, um, did you? Play all of those in the, you know, in a small group of 11

01:30:47.200 - 01:31:04.229

people or did you have big, big mass meetings that large numbers of people would come to where you would discuss this stuff? Well, we would, you know, develop ideas, and then, you know, before implementing any idea we would bring it to the people, right, yeah, and.

01:31:05.250 - 01:31:30.620

For example, the march with uh. Jesse Johnson, um, you know, we, there was a committee of people that went to Los Angeles, which is, I was one of them to he was gonna be speaking out there and we went to invite him, you know, like meet

01:31:30.620 - 01:32:03.600

people and he went down there to talk to him. I don't know people people. Oh, then. So we went about it and he said yes and then. There. Uh, The union officials approved that also I mean we, we communicated with them. Do you have any trouble

01:32:03.600 - 01:32:22.620

ever getting the union to approve the decisions that you made? You, you was pretty much we were communicating uh at the outset. You were not meeting at the union hall, right? You were meeting on the side at the beginning of the striker committee. Um, Probably yeah

01:32:22.620 - 01:32:38.180

in some homes, you know, but then the, the, the union was open to us and you, you can hear, you don't have to there's a union hall over here to have your own meetings so we're private here, you know, Gloria was saying we just sort of

01:32:38.180 - 01:32:56.430

went in there and took over the hall, you know, we took over the phone lines before the recertification so. Well, we probably we probably use them, but I, I don't think it. I don't think I can say that we took over. No, you didn't see it

01:32:56.430 - 01:33:13.540

that way. I, I didn't care. I didn't see it. I'm like, no, you know, everybody sees a different, different, yeah. Well, I think she was talking especially about Richard King. He didn't like what was going on here. Yeah, that's something else, yeah, but she doesn't use

01:33:13.540 - 01:33:36.020

words when she talks about it, yeah, yeah. Uh, I, you know. It's interesting. I the sense I got about that guy is that he. Regarded more console is kind of like his son. And he couldn't understand how the kid could do this to him, you know,

01:33:36.140 - 01:33:55.189

put him in such a compromising position. Messing over and so forth. Um, yeah, that, that makes sense, yeah, because I, I think the way I see and then then the more you know I was there, the more I learned that, you know, like before with. At

01:33:55.189 - 01:34:13.540

console, the father, you know, Richard and Richard King, they used to get together and, you know, have a few beers or drinks and would come to an agreement right there and for her and then, you know, put it to the both of both of the people

01:34:13.540 - 01:34:31.419

and if they agreed to something there, uh, they would, the father. At console, the, the owner of the Watson would respect that, you know, and, and they would, well, you know, in other words, you know, and then a words, you know, yeah, even though, you know,

01:34:31.540 - 01:34:47.149

they, they would put it in writing, yeah, but they used to make bills, but they wouldn't talk and we would, no, but we would get, you know, good races, you know, we, we would get, you know, better races than anybody else in town. You know, so

01:34:47.149 - 01:35:03.540

we were, we were, we, we had a good relationship with, with council, so he was able to, I think so, yeah, and, and then when he's done. Uh, at consul time more consult came and I guess we you think though that that was gonna, the re

01:35:03.540 - 01:35:23.109

the good relation was gonna continue after. I don't think that's that happened, you know, that's, well, we know when did when did more, uh, when did Ed coo die if you remember? No, yeah, it was a little while before the strike. Yeah, yeah, but I don't.

01:35:24.529 - 01:35:43.250

Well, you know, like I said, you know, before, you know, I just knew the. Payroll office was, you know, you used to go, you know, work, yeah, and, and go get my check and, uh, who was running or who on the plan. I mean, I mean,

01:35:43.290 - 01:36:00.729

I didn't really. Yeah, so your life was pretty well changed by all this. And you know, as, you know, what I started to say earlier, you know, we, we learned a lot, you know, we, we, we got educated ourselves. A lot of people that, you know,

01:36:00.890 - 01:36:18.689

that were working in the plant for many years found out that they had all the skills and, you know, they went to school all their abilities so that they could do, you know, things different and, and, and they got different jobs. They got, you know. Some

01:36:18.689 - 01:36:37.680

of them, you know, working in beauty shops, uh, for, you know, with nursing and, you know, different, different positions. People who did things during the strike when they had to look for other jobs, you know, or, or um just after the strike. But during and and

01:36:37.680 - 01:36:54.399

after, yeah, I guess during the strike that was the beginning because of the necessity, you know, when, when you, you don't have an income, you know, I mean you still gotta leave, you know, who was on the, uh, striker committee with you? There was you, there

01:36:54.399 - 01:37:23.270

was Gloria, who else is on? It was cooker. Cooker there uh. Armando Gloria's brother was Armando Moraes, right, that was her brother. Uh cook uh Gloria. Yeah, I think, yeah, yeah, I yeah. And then uh from Charles. We and the video I think was one of

01:37:23.270 - 01:37:44.080

them and So another lady is. Did you ever have any problems, uh, with people questioning how the, the money that was raised by the supporters from the supporters was being parent to me? Did people ever question how you were keeping the books or anything like that?

01:37:44.109 - 01:38:03.529

You never, no, it was here all the time, yeah, you had no problem with people right that, um. I'd rather because you know uh. Oh, there's always somebody oh yeah one thing Glo raised is there are people who tried to discredit the strikers committee by claiming

01:38:03.529 - 01:38:19.129

you were not keeping the books properly or that you were accounting for the money properly or something when you basically everything was open, well, there's always somebody, you know, there's always somebody that you didn't take it real seriously. No, no, you know, when you don't have

01:38:19.129 - 01:38:35.540

nothing to hide, I mean when you're not doing anything wrong, like I said earlier, you know, like when. You know we were working for the company we're doing everything, you know, with our hearts. I mean you don't, you don't worry about it, you know, about anybody

01:38:35.540 - 01:38:55.080

coming and, you know. Getting you in trouble, you know, yeah. I actually have to head back to the Bay Area because I've got the car and my wife is stranded up there I would actually love to talk to you again, um. I'll probably be down again

01:38:55.080 - 01:39:09.410

during the summer, you know, just trying to do it right. I'll be just like one day out of the week family visiting, um, then we'll probably know more and be able to ask you some better questions there too. So if you're around. Um, I don't have

01:39:09.410 - 01:39:24.169

to find you. Give me a call, yeah, and you got my cell phone now. Let me make sure I got the right number. I think I do because that's probably, I know you called a few times before. I called the house, yeah, yeah, and, and I

01:39:24.169 - 01:39:45.089

got those, you know, and I was, I've been thinking about it, you know, but I figured that you went in and out, you know. Well, let's see, I've got 831-633-4102 is that the home that's the home, OK, cell phone is better. It's 831. Uh, 5578. 48

01:39:45.089 - 01:40:08.430

35 48 35 yeah. I'll try that one next time, yeah, I, um. You in Oregon? Yeah, uh, we moved up there in '94. Um, yeah, we were had been living in Oakland. Uh, I got a job delivering mail up in Hillsboro, Oregon. We did that for

01:40:08.430 - 01:40:25.319

15 years and I just retired in 2008, right before the stock market crashed. Oh really? Oh, good for you. Well, yeah, because the post office is just going to have the pension that affected the pension. Yeah, my tension's OK. I mean, but probably if you were

01:40:25.319 - 01:40:42.509

to say what the post office is not. So much of the mail these days is like related to advertising, you know, credit card companies trying to, you know, or realtors. I mean, the industries that use the post office the most are the ones that really tanked,

01:40:43.220 - 01:40:59.979

you know, I mean when the economic crisis hit, so the mail volume just went way down and that, that never used to happen and now you know the the internet the internet. You know, probably takes a lot of mail from from the post office. Yeah, well,

01:41:00.060 - 01:41:14.669

I mean, I. I, I hate to talk like this because I'm a good union man and all that kind of stuff and I was an officer and I was always proud of the work I did and. But There's a part of me that's really glad I

01:41:14.669 - 01:41:31.629

don't have to struggle with this stuff. I mean, it must be kind of like what you went through when you were watching all those plants shut down, you know, and realizing that there's only so much you can do, so it's pretty sad, yeah, I mean. this

01:41:31.629 - 01:41:36.729

thing work my God, it looks like it stopped already. I hope.