00:00:00.479 - 00:00:20.629

Local 601 in Stockton. She called me when I was working for local 912. She called me and said, oh, you know, you know that that you're in this, uh, and, uh, you, you made history, your name is on this, uh, and she was reading something that

00:00:20.629 - 00:00:51.319

she, I don't remember, but she faxed me a bunch of pages and I should have those. I have no idea, yeah, so somebody wrote something actually and then there was uh a magazine that that was, well, yeah, yeah, I mean it has I guess a view

00:00:51.319 - 00:01:07.889

kind of has one of yeah, they're they're they're coming and I, I found the articles that got through the community. No, I mean that was my connection. I play for news. I didn't write any of them. Come on, come on, go ahead now. Yeah, we usually,

00:01:07.910 - 00:01:33.000

yeah, quiet, but um. Well, um, I mean, actually, uh, Franky wrote it. Decent article and I didn't agree with all of us, but he was trying to be balanced, you know, there was about 2 months after the strike. Uh, right now it's probably the most. Balance

00:01:33.000 - 00:01:52.589

thing out there. I thought that time that John Silverman was pretty, pretty biased, you know, uh, your CD, yeah, he was done knows how to handle a camera but yeah you guys saw it actually. You know, first time I saw it was about actually you and

00:01:52.589 - 00:02:07.349

a do me. Yeah, I heard that there was a showing of it, yeah, and I, I never seen it. I never seen it before. The film is well done, yeah, but, uh, but he had his group of people, you know, you know, it's kind of a

00:02:07.349 - 00:02:27.389

shallow analysis, I think. I mean it was a much more complex struggle that makes it out to be there stuff he just didn't have a clue about and you know, I know that, um. But uh you know that's that's anyway, I, you know, I did wanna

00:02:27.389 - 00:02:40.630

come back to that film because um especially now you would have seen it, but that really kind of comes at the end because what I it interested me was what you had when you first came back from San Francisco with a kind of agreement and there

00:02:40.630 - 00:02:57.190

was that big debate over whether to accept it or not. And it seems like that must have been a terribly tough choice for people to make. Um, yes, and, uh, you know, after I saw the movie, then I, I remember because you have some questions, you

00:02:57.190 - 00:03:20.649

know, last time, and, uh, and after I saw the movie, you know, I remember, you know, the candidateative agreement was rejected the first one, and we came back a week later with, uh, you know. He was uh kind of a revised uh agreement uh you know

00:03:20.649 - 00:03:50.169

uh. Agreed to to a different thing and and the thing was that uh We gave away. Uh. We gave away pension and uh and we got health benefits because that that that's one thing that that wasn't in there. In in the agreement. Yeah. Well, and then

00:03:50.169 - 00:04:12.199

the reason, and the reason that it was not like that was because, uh, because David Gill or his company was a new company and because of the fraud that exists in the Western companies against this pension plan that whenever a new, a new employer comes. Into

00:04:12.199 - 00:04:38.839

the banking unit, see the employees that have been working there get past credits every year, every year that an employee works for this new, uh, company gets 1 year of credit. So the employers work, uh, 5 years for the company. In 5 years to get 1

00:04:38.839 - 00:05:01.670

year of credit plus 1 year as credit. And and that was uh. So that was good. Uh, that was a way to solve, you know, very creative, and I think, uh. Alex, a low side last side, uh, play a good role in that, you know, and,

00:05:01.730 - 00:05:18.489

and Sergio and, you know, the whole thing. I, I talked to um. I actually, um, actually I don't if you have access to a computer. You can, you can listen to this because I, I did a broadcast 10 minutes long for the station up in Portland.

00:05:18.570 - 00:05:30.649

I used a lot of the interview I did with Glory. I had some upstairs, you know. I had a bit of joke that he he was instrumental I everything. You know, pointing out the problem with the health benefits in that final settlement, which, you know, on

00:05:30.649 - 00:05:47.019

different credits to at least point it out, you know, that it was, you know. But when I interviewed David Ki, I said, well, because Sergio was furious when that vote happened, and he told me so when I interviewed him. And he really wanted to ring Joe's

00:05:47.019 - 00:05:57.420

neck because he had put his stuck his neck out for Joe saying, well, you know, if you go with these workers, I'll make money for you you can trust us, you know, we'll work with you and then when that agreement got rejected and made him look.

00:05:59.429 - 00:06:11.910

So I asked David to feel about it, he said, well, you know, I was disappointed, but I, I realized you didn't have to take control of the situation. He had to get approve of those numbers. It's just one more thing for me to factor into my

00:06:11.910 - 00:06:22.750

production costs, and I figured out some way so I wouldn't lose too much money out of it. And, you know, the main thing is I want to get the plant running here, so I know whatever we could hammer out was OK with me and that's the

00:06:22.750 - 00:06:38.559

attitude so. Yeah You know, it was fascinating to me, I guess, you know, you guys didn't know that they felt that way. I mean, nobody knows it. But I remember at the time how much tension there was. I mean, gee, we've got this agreement. What we

00:06:38.559 - 00:06:53.320

blow it? is it worth it? Oh, you're. And when I gave you Gloria, she said, you know, well, we weren't gonna go back without a health benefit, but that's what we went out on strike for. And I said, Well, you were what would happen if the

00:06:53.320 - 00:07:07.269

deal fell through, and she just stopped for about 2 minutes and she said, yes, just like that, you know. So I mean I, I could tell that she lost a lot of sleep over him did you, you and like Carlos Hernandez and Gloria and Cuan I

00:07:07.269 - 00:07:32.369

guess there was one other person representing the strikers in the negotiations. Did you discuss this amongst yourselves and what was going on, or did it not even come up until that big meeting? Hey, uh. It didn't come out uh. Arjun. Well it's kind of hard to

00:07:32.369 - 00:07:51.790

remember I have to but uh. You know it's uh easy to to. He's here now from you. The, you know, the way things happen and why it's easier to understand it now. And I, and I think that's a good thing. I think that's a good thing

00:07:51.790 - 00:08:09.160

that you know we voted it down I think we boiled it down. Yeah, it's easier to say that you know it's gonna come out all right yeah. Yeah, but I mean, didn't you, we never knew, but I mean it could have been the, I mean, the,

00:08:09.170 - 00:08:28.119

the head of it and that, that city, uh, because one of the things that the employees said the right to do bargaining is that, uh, uh, once, uh, the proposal is done and is ready to send it to that to the workers if workers rejected it,

00:08:28.130 - 00:08:41.030

you know, they could. If they want to, they can continue negotiation it, but if they don't want to, they can travel over from from scratch. I don't know if you remember this or not. Did they actually vote to reject the contract, or they just both kind

00:08:41.030 - 00:09:02.880

of send it back for more, more talking. I think, I think, I think it was, I think it was, uh, I remember I think it was. Send back and rejected with a proposal to get to get the help. In any case it took about 4 days

00:09:02.880 - 00:09:21.429

to fix it so in the week, yeah, yeah, the 2 of the week it came back. So was that when the decision was made to have the hunger strikes? Were you, was that something the strikers committee thought of? Was that something that came from, how did

00:09:21.429 - 00:09:47.909

that happen? A group of people, uh, thought about it, uh. You know, uh, part of them was, uh, well, Gloria was one of them, the participants and, uh. I think the order from. No, I, I don't think so. No, not it was. Anita Contreras and uh.

00:09:48.840 - 00:10:10.090

Well there's, you know, Shereen the oh she yeah I guess I can ask her I'm just curious where the idea came from and from the people. I guess right now, so with the directors committee still functioning at that point, you know, you were still putting out

00:10:10.090 - 00:10:33.450

leaflets and We having meetings. I mean, yes, yeah, you were, you were, we were pretty much involved in it, yeah, yeah, it said that at this time we were more concentrated in trying to negotiate, you know, because that's uh. So we were right. Now after you

00:10:33.450 - 00:10:50.200

had like about 4 or 5 people who worked at Richard Shaw. We were about to to destroying his committee. Back in October of '85 and when Shaw settles, I guess Aurora was one of them. When Sean settles, did they continue to uh be part of the

00:10:50.200 - 00:11:09.739

strikers committee or did this become the loss of caring people? Uh, Mostly it was mechanic people because they, they were busy working and uh And then they, they, we didn't see much of them after that, yeah, I see Aurora's name come up. Aurora, yeah, she was,

00:11:13.000 - 00:11:34.349

she was younger, stay communicating with us and uh she was very. I see and uh. Uh, supportive. Yeah, I probably should talk to her if she's around. Do you know how to find her. I'll, I'll ask. I have no idea. I'm supposed to know everybody or

00:11:34.349 - 00:11:55.960

everybody, um. I wanna I'm kind of jumping around here. But um I'll start way back before this. You told me in the last interview that you would go to, you would go to union meetings at contract time just, you know, to see what the terms are

00:11:55.960 - 00:12:14.969

both on them but You weren't really active in the union until the strike happened. Well, that is true, um. Yeah. Local 912 took a strike out I guess in July or August of 85. And there was a committee that was elected and Guilina was on it.

00:12:15.419 - 00:12:36.200

Gloria's brother was on it. It was supposed to. Do a dues assessment raise money from other members of local lines to offer us direct funds. Do you remember any of the votes or the discussions around those decisions? Were you involved at all? No. It wasn't until

00:12:36.200 - 00:12:56.020

the walkout actually happened until September up to September 9th. There was some controversy, I guess. I guess the TDU people were suspicious of the the way that the. Its assessment that strike fund being run you, you didn't have any information on that. I remember about the

00:12:56.020 - 00:13:15.210

strike fund which was a very good idea and it was very supportive from from all the other uh food processors when you were. Uh, responsible for the strike fund with the strikers committee got going was that yes, that wasn't the same as the union strike because

00:13:16.659 - 00:13:43.159

when the strikers committee was formed in October 1985 and uh. Uh, I was, uh, named, uh, well, I'm not sure it wasn't right away, but later on I was, uh, named, uh, the. Uh, treasurer of the strates committee right and Was there any thought about this

00:13:43.159 - 00:13:58.320

simply you already have a strike fund the local 912 pass. From the view's assessment and that was just strictly from members of of local arts well, so you were trying to get money for supporters. That was why you had a separate, um separate, yeah, yeah, and

00:13:58.320 - 00:14:17.760

then you had other groups like the Northern California strike Sport Committee and the Watsonville strike Sport Committee were doing fundraising on their own. Was there any coordination between all those efforts, or people just kind of do their own thing? Well, people did their own thing. Uh,

00:14:17.809 - 00:14:39.789

the other. Support, but the Northern California, you know, strike support committee, they, they. They, uh, were communicating with us and we're doing things together. She didn't have much uh much communication with the Washington film strike support committee. They were doing, they were doing their own thing

00:14:39.789 - 00:14:58.580

and they had their own money. They, I understand there's a lot of money. Well these little bonus. Do you have any problems with them? Uh, no, because I didn't, you know, we didn't deal with that, yeah, they were doing their thing. They were doing their own

00:14:58.580 - 00:15:18.299

thing and taking credit, so I think they just wanted to take credit for things. Well, I, one person I remember hearing about a lot of uh during the strike. Uh, usually people were annoyed when they talked about it was good. Yeah did you know her. I

00:15:18.299 - 00:15:39.659

found out, you know, about her during the strike, but she, she was one of the leaders of the uh. Santa Cruz superb comedian supposedly she was a local person, wasn't she? She was in Washington. She was local. She was working for some. Institutions and what's in

00:15:39.659 - 00:16:06.570

there. And she was involved in that lawsuit that got district elections in lawsuit. Uh, you don't know, you're Castro, local, local rumble, um, well. Were you, I wanna drop a head now to were you involved at all with there was a big rally on October 6th.

00:16:07.369 - 00:16:23.309

And I guess the strikers committee formed just a few days after that you you guys put on a call, you know, to have that big meeting. Were you involved at all with the October 6th rally, the one that the CD people organized, um, did you participate

00:16:23.309 - 00:16:41.020

when you were in the crowd, or, oh yeah, we were good, yeah. Did, did the, uh, and the union actually formally endorsed it and the gentleman. I think so, yeah. Um, did you have any questions or problems with the way that rally went or the way

00:16:41.020 - 00:17:05.770

it was organized? Mm, no, I mean, I, I didn't. Really thought a lot about it, you know, I was like. Concerned about what was going on at the picket lines and uh and trying to get. Make sure that uh you know people were the pickers were

00:17:05.770 - 00:17:24.099

at the picket lines and uh we had our captains, you know, that were in charge of, you know, lines and stuff. And And I was, you know, I spent a lot of time for the teacher, you know. Was he, I, I get the feeling Richard King

00:17:24.099 - 00:17:41.709

was kind of out of the loop at that point he wasn't. Be very helpful. Right, yeah, so you were pretty much doing it all yourselves? Was there like a a committee that came out of the union meetings where people took responsibility for the picketing or anything

00:17:41.709 - 00:18:06.189

like that there were uh business agents uh uh I know uh one business agent, John. John Ramirez, he came, uh, you know, the very first day of the strike, and, you know, explaining or trying to explain to us, you know, not to block the gates and,

00:18:06.430 - 00:18:24.689

you know, to keep walking. And not to just regroup in, in, uh, one spot because you know that was uh gonna work in favor of the company, you know, was he worried about the court injunction or was that just I think so? Were people arrested at

00:18:24.689 - 00:18:43.979

that point or whatever, uh, well later on, and I, I don't think the company wanted to arrest anybody. They, they were showing. They had somebody filming all those people there, so, uh, so when they, they went to court, you know, they showed that to the judge

00:18:44.349 - 00:19:02.300

and the judge, you know, right away said, oh yeah, they, they that that's on the court injunction. OK that there were only supposed to be 4 people at each gate. And if it was more than that, you know, people are gonna be arrested. So yeah, the

00:19:02.300 - 00:19:21.020

unit tried to get us, uh, organized that we were not organized, you know, prior to the sign for the, for the strike, you know, but a lot of your motivation for calling for the strikers committee to be form calling that big meeting on October 15th, a

00:19:21.020 - 00:19:40.640

lot of that was particularly because things weren't happening and needed to happen. We needed to organize that, you know, there weren't people taking charge. You very well bye. I raised that because what I heard at the time was that people were frustrated with Solidarity Day, that's,

00:19:40.650 - 00:19:52.650

you know, that that's a big rally and the strikers are kind of iced out of it. It sounds like from what you're saying whether a Solidarity Day had happened during that on October 6th, you still would have had to do this, you know, you still would

00:19:52.650 - 00:20:11.640

have done it anyway because Local 912 wasn't operating the way it needed us right. We need a To unionized better yeah that that's what we needed to do. You know, if I can jump back and have you had any experience at all with the years before

00:20:11.640 - 00:20:35.449

not not at all when you came up here. Uh, to, to the United States. I was 16. Yeah, it was a teenager then, yeah, you came in. I came as a teenagers for that. No, but, uh, have to admit that I, I lied about my age.

00:20:35.540 - 00:20:54.489

I know, I'll never tell. You know, I, I know, but, uh, you know, I need it I need it to work and yeah. And you had family, I'm sure already you're telling me you are your brother with um. Did your whole family wind up here eventually,

00:20:54.579 - 00:21:14.219

or was just you came up here to join your brother and that was it, eventually my whole family came and my mom and dad and uh brothers and sister well most of my brothers and sisters and I mean. Uh, The But this was afterwards. This is

00:21:14.219 - 00:21:29.939

after you've been people were here watching the hearings for a while. No, before, before, oh yeah, before that, so you, you came up to. Oh, by that time, uh, our, our family was here already and we had, you know, during those days it wasn't difficult to

00:21:29.939 - 00:21:56.209

get a green card, you know. Oh boy, yeah, um, but you worked in the fields for a few years before you got on and watch looking like strawberry picking. Yeah, I was, I worked in, uh, picking strawberries, uh, Brussels sprouts, uh, sunflower, you know, and all

00:21:56.209 - 00:22:15.349

for the shower. So, Salena Valley, you know, I pick cotton in Texas, uh, around a lot, yeah, yeah, this I didn't know, yeah, so when you actually got taken on at Washington and here you were. It would have been about 20, right? 2021, but I started

00:22:15.349 - 00:22:41.199

in '62, that about 2021, 21, yeah, yeah, um. That was a bit relief. Yeah, different, yeah, yeah, yeah, um. Well, uh. When you first I'm gonna ask Oscar about this too because I wanna get a sense I got the impression from what you told me before

00:22:41.199 - 00:22:57.390

that he was. He played a big role in getting you guys thinking about starting setting up your own strikers committee and so forth, so he encouraged you to like it. Did, did Manuel talk about that too? Yes, uh, Manuel Oscar, Cheri, and Cheri thing, you know,

00:22:57.400 - 00:23:18.459

I have a lot to do, and I, I respect the lady very much. She, she did it from the heart, yeah, that's the way, yeah, yeah. One time, you know, get off, getting off the, uh, the questions, you know, with Cherry, she called me like. 4

00:23:18.459 - 00:23:35.969

o'clock in the morning. 24 o'clock in the morning, and she was crying. She was crying. So, you know, I had, and you know what, you know, they, they burning the, the cannery. The candy is on fire. They're running it, you know, they wanted to get, you

00:23:35.969 - 00:23:55.800

know, rid of it, and she was crying, you know, because she thought that, you know, they were ruining the whole thing, which, which just had that person that, that freezer. Well, what happened was the warehouse, yeah, the paper warehouse where they kept all the labels, uh,

00:23:55.810 - 00:24:14.979

cardboard, and it was huge. Uh, he caught on fire. And uh when was this, do you remember? He must have been in '86. I don't remember. Yeah, yeah, I mean, I know there were incidents like that. Yeah, it was a big front page story about, I

00:24:14.979 - 00:24:30.739

guess some thought that that wasn't even part of Boston here and that I did business with him, I guess they, it was a freezer or something and they, yeah, the, the warehouse, and, and that's when, you know, I said, well, you know, he really care your

00:24:30.739 - 00:24:49.449

jobs are gonna be gone. But luckily, you know, it was just part of the, the warehouse that, you know, got on fire somehow. You have any ideas about who might have got that stuff? No, I mean, yeah, we, we figure it was an inside job, you

00:24:49.449 - 00:25:08.189

know, they had insurance, yeah, but I mean we never know. I mean, I cannot say, you know. They did it themselves, but obviously it wasn't that the strikers because I mean it's, it's like burning your own house. I mean that's where we worked for, you know,

00:25:08.310 - 00:25:25.364

like I worked for 23 years at the plant before going in to strike and you know I care about this. Yeah, and I care about production. I care about, you know, productivity and bringing revenue to the company and all, all of us care, you know, we

00:25:25.364 - 00:25:47.959

work united, yeah, and, uh, I mean we were about to do something like that, you know, to hurt ourselves more, you know. Well, I'm gonna move up to the uh. The Shaw settlements in in February of '86. Um, Seems like it was a really complicated time.

00:25:48.400 - 00:26:05.599

You talked a little bit about how Watson caring people felt about the settlements. I mean it so fast. Uh, when I interviewed Alex last year, um. He told me that the meeting where they presented the terms is crazy meeting that they wound up having to throw

00:26:05.599 - 00:26:21.829

everybody out and then just bringing all of the people who actually worked at Shaw and you know uh. He thought there were some people from watching Bill Camry who didn't want a settlement to happen and you know people were standing on the table. So on. Were

00:26:21.829 - 00:26:39.099

you inside that Nina? You didn't, you didn't go any of the, did you know any of the lesser volcanic people who who did get in there was in there? No, I don't think so because he was in another meeting, you know, it was strictly, you know,

00:26:41.260 - 00:27:03.270

not show employees, yeah, yeah, didn't, it wasn't, it wasn't like all members both around to all had a right to be there or anything like that. I don't think so. I don't think so, because usually everything, you know, there was, there was, uh. Uh Like contract

00:27:03.270 - 00:27:24.000

ratification, uh, you know, there, there was, uh, union officials and, and, and, uh, committee or, you know, at the door making sure that only employees from the company go in so that nobody else would go in and vote, you know, that would be. I noticed that

00:27:24.000 - 00:27:37.709

in in John Silver's film, I guess when the one when the North the people voting on the account. I would say that you that, I mean Joe Bay was in there arguing, you know, pulling out the problems with the, I guess Joe could get in there

00:27:37.709 - 00:27:58.050

because he was a business agent. He was, but everybody else in there just wants to go yeah, businesses or union with the senators, right, yeah, yeah, um. Did uh After that vote took place. Uh, I guess there was a rally on, uh, was it Monday, February

00:27:58.050 - 00:28:13.300

17th. Which kind of got out of hand and I think a bunch of cheaper all I know is what reason the so watching the register file on here, you know, I don't know how accurate their coverage is, but they made it sound like. You know there

00:28:13.300 - 00:28:29.219

was this group of people who just sort of broke away from the rally and started breaking windows on Main Street and you know scaring the hell out of folks and so forth and there was a big kickback yeah. That was awful. Yeah, there was a lot

00:28:29.219 - 00:28:49.780

of people that didn't, they were not even workers there, of, uh, lost in mechanic or. I mean were the workers at Washington and Van who got into that kind of stuff. I don't think so. No, no, it doesn't make sense. I mean, unless people just try

00:28:49.780 - 00:29:07.449

to watch it. See, all, all the people, you know, that, that work for us in general was hard working people, and you know, like I said last time that we met, uh, the. 30 of women. I don't know, a good percentage are 80, maybe, maybe 85%

00:29:07.449 - 00:29:20.930

of them were women, you know, with the guys downtown and, uh, and they're, uh, you know, hard working ladies, you know, that, that I mean my respect for those ladies. I mean they, you know, in my opinion they were the ones that won the strike for

00:29:20.930 - 00:29:42.560

us, you know, without those ladies, I mean we were we been able to, to win that strike, you know. Well, one thing that I. Picked up where I'm reading about that one in and really a lot of stuff that happened previous fall too was that. You

00:29:42.560 - 00:30:03.380

know, the police would be out like spoiling for the fight a lot of times. It took a lot of restraint not to get into it with them. Um And I guess on the Saturday they. They actually Shut the union office down so according to that. You

00:30:03.380 - 00:30:20.839

know, I was very angry about it because he was there to hand out the strike then they wouldn't let him do it, you know. Um, At the beginning you mentioned. Uh, watchtonville County out there in front of the very beginnings tracking with the pictures of the

00:30:20.839 - 00:30:41.510

picket line and so forth. Do you think that anything happened? Uh, on that day that the first couple of days that that might have warranted, you know, the first to get involved. Uh, was there anything out of, you know, inappropriate happening on the line. You got

00:30:41.510 - 00:31:03.729

a large crowd yeah yeah. The trucks get through jabs get through. I, I should have been, you know, it's hard to remember because there's so many days that that we were there and then some, you know, different people, you know, that came through. I know one

00:31:03.729 - 00:31:19.930

thing is that. They weren't bring a lot of people came to work so then one day and uh and they they brought him in, you know, the, the people thought that they were, you know, doing the to the job, but once they found out that that

00:31:19.930 - 00:31:34.880

we were on strike and, and they were strike breakers, you know, the next day a lot of them didn't come back. And, and that's why we had a hard thing, you know, keeping the workforce. I mean, you know, you told me that during the recertification votes,

00:31:35.170 - 00:31:49.540

uh, in August of '85, if you were actually allowed to go into the plants and the scouts, you know, or the, the, the labor board let you do that part of the election. And Alex told me you did a lot. You knew the plant really well,

00:31:49.699 - 00:32:06.670

so you're looking the importance in doing that. Can you tell me about some of the conversations you have with people, whether you think you wanna be over one people over to the union that kind of made a break the stri. Uh I think we were. I'm

00:32:06.670 - 00:32:22.359

just telling the truth and so what you have to talk with people that you remember talking to and how what their reaction was when you told them. Mm you know I'm uh. No, I don't remember particular people, but I know that, uh, you know, we're telling

00:32:22.359 - 00:32:36.640

people the truth, and, uh, you know what would happen, you know, with, with the contract and we got a contract, and, uh, you know, the benefits that we had, uh, any chance we had, you know, you know, we talk, talk about that with people open were

00:32:36.640 - 00:32:57.560

they friendly? Are they hostile? I mean how did they change it? Um, most people were open, yeah, yeah, they didn't just turn their backs on you when you. Some, most of them, you know, they have some, you know, like, you know. I guess you know the

00:32:57.560 - 00:33:18.430

way I think, you know, is that you know we're brothers and we're hurting each other, you know, you know. you know If they understood that way, you know, and you could put that across. Would you make a guess of like how the uh strike for up

00:33:18.430 - 00:33:40.150

voting for the union in that though? Um, I don't know, but, uh, we want, yeah, yeah, yeah, uh, now I got a final tell on that but that everybody agree on. Not that I know, but it was overwhelmed. It's kind of kind of revolve on the

00:33:40.150 - 00:33:59.089

ends because. however they count the votes, consul couldn't be certify the union for another year, so he was stuck, you know. But, but, uh, the good thing is that, you know, most of the strikers, even the ones that were, you know, trying to, you know, get

00:33:59.089 - 00:34:24.729

a job where we're working out of town, you know, came back, uh, to vote. Do you know anybody in particular with the back? Can you mention that for me? I mean, somebody I might be able to interview. I think yeah I'm not exactly sure. But uh

00:34:25.209 - 00:34:50.020

maybe maybe even Gloria's brother he went um he because at one point I'm not really sure, you know, but at one point I know that he went to Mexico and then he came back. Oh yeah, she know Gloria Gloria I haven't seen actually now that I

00:34:50.020 - 00:35:06.760

think about it, uh, Alex told me that's it. He and his wife were concerned, you know, they, they worried about their kids. They wound up going back to Mexico pretty much, yeah, Armando, they're worried about the gangs. Armando, yeah. Uh, yeah, Alex spoke very high here.

00:35:08.459 - 00:35:28.820

He was very smart uh Armando and, uh, and, and he had a lot of respect from everybody, you know, both watching me cannon and show who was his sister still sorry at him for backing out of that election, you know. That's it's, it's, it's tough, you

00:35:28.820 - 00:35:44.129

know, if you haven't, and I remember you're telling me you were like a business organizations the first thing you said what do I do now? Well, yeah, because see, I'm, I'm used, see the way I was raised, I was raised, uh, to be a responsible person,

00:35:44.820 - 00:35:59.959

you know. And so I was elected to decision and, and I said, well, you know, I'm, I'm elected. I'm gonna work for the union. I gotta do a good job and that's why I said what do I do now, you know, I have to really work

00:35:59.959 - 00:36:21.360

hard. Learning my duties, you know, luckily I had a really good, uh, business agent in the service that he was by my side at the beginning, and he was a good, uh, teacher and they supported, you know, he supported me a lot. He was actually, uh,

00:36:21.370 - 00:36:41.219

on the strikers' committee, wasn't he? Yes, yeah, at the beginning, yeah, at the beginning, yeah, uh-huh, and um. How do you, how come you don't do it? How, how do you stop being active and stress you, you work at watching I can. He was a mechanic,

00:36:41.229 - 00:37:06.219

uh, uh, watching me can and, uh. OK, uh. Thought it was for the union. Maybe uh maybe he was selected. Was he, was he elected with Sergio was elected secretary of Treasurer. No, before that, before that, because he was, when I came in in '89, he

00:37:06.219 - 00:37:29.610

was already there. He was already, yeah. So you actually didn't become a BA until 2 years after that yeah you just went back to uh uh to to work. Um, are you a shop steward or anything like that I I was you, yeah, I. Hey, I

00:37:29.610 - 00:37:44.060

wanna ask you how it was, you know, there were a lot of things to work out when you went back to work. Oh yes, and, uh, and then, you know, by that time, I guess, uh, like a lot of people said, you know, we open our

00:37:44.060 - 00:38:02.090

eyes. I had my eyes open and I learn a lot because, you know, I, I then, you know, I read the contracts and I try to get in, you know, familiar with it and. And uh yeah you know right over to the business I mean our

00:38:02.090 - 00:38:26.199

jobs ok you know. And Yeah, there's a leaflet that I saw in the file of San Francisco State which confused me. It's something I hadn't heard before and actually um I'll show it to you uh. She tried all the stuff I probably remember some of this.

00:38:27.239 - 00:39:15.620

Um Yeah. This outfit and then um united. OK. Oh. This was a group, I guess that was blamed for that, you know. You know, the ruck is on Main Street on February 17th called the original rally. And what interested me was. This week

00:39:15.620 - 00:39:37.840

I knew nothing about this. I guess on February 8th before the Shaw settlement actually happens. Uh, this week that came out it looks like Joe Fay, uh, initiated it. But um The 2 Start, you know, United United by March 12. And you got my name in

00:39:37.840 - 00:39:59.070

Aurora Gloria and I remember what I bought. I don't know misspell a couple of times, so I, I'm, I'm guessing that um. That he was trying to bring the strikers committing people into something else. When he organized this, do you remember anything about this because I

00:39:59.070 - 00:40:23.500

had heard nothing until I saw this. I think I remember seeing this. I don't know how you got the. Courses and there's a lot of things, you know, that I mean anybody could have, you know, done well, especially, you know, the one thing that I learned

00:40:23.500 - 00:40:40.750

how to do was, you know, to run the printer. really, not really. I mean, I can do, you know, making fires, you know, uh, but this is what comes up because it in a way it reminds me of the call that that uh you put out

00:40:40.750 - 00:40:55.860

back in uh in October of '85, you know, to, to have a mass meeting and elect the striker committee, it's like they were sort of trying to do the same thing. Or it could be, yeah, I, but it's like they've got your name there and I

00:40:55.860 - 00:41:14.449

was wondering if you remembered what that was all about. We will discuss a plan to win the strike. We will propose the name of a group. Well what's the name for our group. Well they don't have a name yet, but this is like a scenario they

00:41:14.449 - 00:41:35.219

came out of it. Seems to as well. It looks like Joe. He's typewriter. That's why I'm assuming it's, yeah, that's you know that he looked through a lot of things and tell by the, you know, the bar who did what, or the way it's written and

00:41:35.219 - 00:41:58.620

the way, you know, people talk, yeah, yeah, do you remember him approaching you about this or Gloria or you know, I mean, did you guys? No no. Well, whatever it was, I gathered didn't last very long. I don't think so, you know, like, like these people,

00:41:59.100 - 00:42:26.250

but this is, uh, this, this, uh, they were all in faces they were treating. That one These are He's uh Yeah Well, I remember you now, you know, and I remember actually. She was one of the people that we interviewed in unity at the beginning of

00:42:26.250 - 00:42:43.050

the strike. I remember at that point she was furious at TDU, you know, because of the way they handled that growling, but you know, at one time that she was, yeah, yeah, but once she found out about the two face, well, I understood and I, I'd

00:42:43.050 - 00:43:00.060

love to talk to her, um. Uh, she's gonna track her down, but, um, because I remember her from the the strike meetings I went to, and then she was one of the people I. I think that Um, One thing I noticed was that TD who put

00:43:00.060 - 00:43:18.800

out a leaflet raising questions about the strike funds that local Marwe started and how the money was being spent and you know the implication was that the people like Gamina and so forth and Armando who volunteered to raise that money. We're not, you know, the ARL

00:43:18.800 - 00:43:41.010

just deciding how to spend it. Sort of expropriating on purpose, $5 yeah, yeah, $5 you know, I could see where she would have been furious, you know, about stuff like that. Um Uh, I mean, I guess the only way to find that one out is to

00:43:41.010 - 00:43:58.820

talk to her. But if I were in her shoes I would have been angry, uh, I I haven't seen her yeah. I Well, I know, don't know, but you were telling me about Henry Silas. He was, um. Uh, you're not sure when he was elected DA,

00:43:58.939 - 00:44:17.030

but he was on the strictors committee at the beginning. Did he just drop off at some point or I think, I think he got elected when he was elected. It must have been in 18. Yeah, 85 to start in '86 because at the end of '85

00:44:17.330 - 00:44:36.570

there was elections and uh I, I was seeing people encouraged me to, to run, but uh I didn't get elected. I was show by, I don't know if I didn't vote for so yeah but and three years later, you know, that's when when, you know, I

00:44:36.570 - 00:44:56.330

got, I got elected. But I, I'm, I'm thinking I'm don't remember the truck. I'm thinking that that's when Henry got it listed. I can look that up. I've got this it could be, yeah we got Henry goes, so it is here. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know

00:44:56.330 - 00:45:14.699

that. It's what I mean, he straightened up thicker than what had happened, so I guess he's trying to straighten out that mess of how that 90 right now they've got this election there. Yeah, he's, what a what a smart man. I mean, I, I, I realized

00:45:14.699 - 00:45:32.959

how much I didn't know after I talked to him. Oh, he was a wonderful man, and, uh, you know, he's bring people together, you know, his way of talking stops speaking and making sense to him. Did you work closely with the strikers committee, or did he

00:45:32.959 - 00:45:51.790

just talk to you guys one on one? Did he ever come to your meetings for instance? I I don't remember probably because we had so many meetings, but uh she would talk to anybody. He was, you know if he was seeing and, uh, wanna talk to

00:45:51.790 - 00:46:04.969

him, he will stop and do some, you know, few of them, you know, one of those people, you know, he told me at the beginning he had to come and hide out in Santa Cruz and couldn't come down to Watsonville because we just came, you know,

00:46:10.610 - 00:46:28.350

I guess I oh you he could be a lot more of a. Be a lot more visible down here um. Well, You told me I guess you didn't know that much about the Corsettima. I know that there was a group that got together at that actually

00:46:28.350 - 00:46:44.219

voted down. Just came up Eventually they reversed installs and then I said he did after the strike line I got pretty much. Losing so much money they had to merge with our account. Were you, did you know, did you work with any of the presetti workers?

00:46:44.290 - 00:47:02.810

Did you talk to them? You, you weren't part of that? I was not involved in that, no. Um, One of the things that came up. Um, Was uh. And Alex first mentioned this to me too, but I, I saw a letter that Chuck M wrote to

00:47:02.810 - 00:47:22.570

Sergio, I guess very late in the strike. Um, where he became aware that the strikers committee had its own. Uh, strike on independence of the union. And Chuck is very worried about the legal problems with that because this has to stop right away. Um, do you

00:47:22.570 - 00:47:39.639

remember that at all? OK, I, I remember you saying that there's really controversy over the way we're doing in terms of fundraising spending. Money for people uh. When you were actually doing it, you just kept good books and make sure they knew what you were doing.

00:47:41.110 - 00:48:04.060

I don't remember specifically about the letter, but, but, uh, OK, but, uh, one thing that you know we started doing. When when we had some money, you know, started, you know, taking applications from the tractors as to who to do, and then we we screen those

00:48:04.550 - 00:48:24.229

applications, uh, and You know, help the people that we figure what's the most need. I you know what I would love to do. I don't know how realistic it is, is talk to some of the people that you helped, you know, if there's specific people that,

00:48:24.879 - 00:48:45.209

you know, were in trouble that instructors committee gave money to if I could tell a few stories that would help understand people understand that like what you were doing and why it was important. I don't suppose confidentiality is an issue at this late date. You know,

00:48:45.290 - 00:49:04.090

I had actually, you know, for a long time I checked all the paperwork and, uh, I got rid of that yeah. I'm, I'm hearing that from a few people. Yeah, it's, it's just too much stuff, you know, you collect and it's hard to keep, so, well,

00:49:04.129 - 00:49:17.600

the only person I think who really saved everything is Frank Barnay, and he gave it to the college, you know, it's this is this collection that I got all this most of my. And of course, um, Team Streets had a uh Chuck Mc retired he gave

00:49:17.600 - 00:49:34.239

a lot of their papers to, um, yeah, I got some of them before he died. Alex arranged for me to have, you know, some copies of some of this stuff. But um yeah this is I'm not who saw this or if Sergio spoke to you about

00:49:34.239 - 00:50:15.370

it. I'm pretty sureer talk to us about it, uh, because, you know, everything that you know his teacher was always concerned about the legality and everything. He wanted to make sure that everything was legal. He was

00:50:15.379 - 00:50:35.419

concerned. He, he never wanted any, any lawsuits. And, uh, and I think that's part of the reasons that when we were doing this, doing the screening for applicants that, you know, soliciting help with my niece and the strikers community plan uh we were doing everything at

00:50:35.419 - 00:50:52.500

the local union, you know, they, they gave us, you know, a table and people would come in and your applications and the local strike funds. It came from the do assessment that the vocal line 12 handled that with basic just make sure I got the 55

00:50:52.500 - 00:51:17.510

bucks uh. For a week and yeah, just what you were doing is you were helping people with special problems. Um And um One thing I noticed in the very first. Issue of the newsletter that stri this committee put out which I also have here. I'll keep

00:51:17.510 - 00:51:34.729

pulling stuff out for it unless you wanna see it but you said you were hopeful that other. Teams local might be assessed and not just members of local around 12 you might be able to increase the amount of. Uh, strike out just because the strikers. Mhm,

00:51:34.870 - 00:51:56.100

is that something that you pursued or did you just drop it because it wasn't, you don't remember we didn't, no, I'm pretty sure we didn't pursue that because. I mean it was I mean We were going to be I guess. Getting off, you know. A real

00:51:56.590 - 00:52:13.459

issue, you know, that, you know, taking care of us, right, right, because I mean that we didn't have much friends you can keep going, you know, they all do, you know, work outside and that, that, that would be like. You know, having a a boycott. Uh,

00:52:13.540 - 00:52:44.959

you know, a long term. I hope it's important. I. You OK. Uh, maybe it might bring down and uh it's supposed to be a little light there when it's going. Um, Yeah, so yeah. We had to concentrate on our on on our strike, you know, and,

00:52:45.000 - 00:53:10.320

and, you know, make sure that, you know. we would, you know. It's still there in the visa and uh. And And be there mostly. One thing, um, Gloria told me that when she became like a, a public spokesperson for the strike, she had to kind of

00:53:10.850 - 00:53:26.820

avoid getting arrested, uh, because she needed to travel around and so forth, but I, I saw an item in the paper that. You know, registered partner on and said that she actually was arrested fairly early in this trial. So she threw a rock at a busload

00:53:26.820 - 00:53:44.860

of scabs or something like that. I mean, were you ever arrested at any point? Yeah, how many times? One time was it early or uh? Oh, actually, I know what it was because I read about it. It was right before the sals. There was a big

00:53:44.860 - 00:54:07.080

demonstration at the bank. But this happened when I was arrested, we were in front of the uh plant plant. But this was late in this time. Uh, I don't remember. Yeah, yeah, I remember seeing, but it must have been in '86, yeah. But it was because

00:54:07.080 - 00:54:32.870

there were too many tickets or uh no there was uh. An incident somebody. Apparently somebody threw a rock and it went through the window, uh, the personnel office. And so they called the cops. And uh so happened that, you know, I was walking with other people,

00:54:33.199 - 00:54:58.310

you know, walking the picket line and we when the cops came when we were approaching the car, you know, the cops were already there, so they were asking. Larry Water. Uh, well, you're accusing people, uh, who, who, who did it, um, you because he wanted. Uh,

00:54:58.469 - 00:55:15.100

the cops to arrest everybody and the cops said, well, you have to tell us who to arrest, who did it, who to arrest, and then he looked at me, said he did it and I was just coming, coming from, you know, just. And just getting there,

00:55:15.179 - 00:55:32.860

you know, so and the oh I mean they, they, they went to me and they, you know, to arrest me and uh I didn't even know what was going on until later, you know, I found out they actually bring charges or they just. Take you downtown.

00:55:33.149 - 00:55:53.949

Well, they took me downtown, uh, you know, that time I found that, uh. There was a lot of support, a lot of the strikers, you know, follow the police car to the station, walking, running, and, uh, and then, uh, you know, there was a group of

00:55:53.949 - 00:56:16.010

people that that, you know, I run outside the police station, uh, where I was being held. And you're walking back and forth and running and and and telling, you know, the chief of police to release me, you know. And so the thing is what they decided

00:56:16.010 - 00:56:37.500

to take me to Santa Cruz to the county, you know, with the sheriffs, I guess with the sheriffs, you know, with Santa Cruz, so they took me to Santa Cruz and spent. 2 hours there. And they released me on the. Oh, are, you know, my, um,

00:56:37.510 - 00:56:52.860

the things they have to go back to court and they just dropped the charges. They dropped the charges because they had nothing on me, you know, the guy point the finger at you from justify and press charges or anything. Yeah, because I mean he knew that

00:56:52.870 - 00:57:10.719

that it wasn't me, you know, and he just, I guess he just wanted to get rid of us, uh, that, that was the way. But you were trying to. I kind of dropped that question on you about specific people that you helped out with the, you

00:57:10.719 - 00:57:36.120

know, with the you don't remember anybody that you could say offhand. I know one individual his name was Miguel, um. John I was last here. Uh I'm not sure on on the other, I think, uh, I'm, I don't remember exactly but I know there was another

00:57:36.120 - 00:58:00.629

lady, Raya. There's a few people, you know, but uh it's, it's hard to remember, you know, when you were having like, you know, I mean you were having constant. Cases of people in in emergency situations who needed help, um. Some people could pay the PG&E or

00:58:00.629 - 00:58:30.139

deal. Did you guys ever get unemployment or uh food stamps or anything like that? Never, I know there were some demonstrations about that. Well, we had an unemployment in case you uh appeal. Oh, Did we went down and Yeah I don't think so. I don't know,

00:58:30.310 - 00:58:52.250

because we, I remember what we had was uh Stripe benefit. How did you get by? I mean, you 55 bucks is not much money. No, well, my wife was working at that time, was she? She was working in custo on the packing and shit, uh. Uh

00:58:53.770 - 00:59:15.590

And she was working a lot of hours those days. Uh, she was working for uh the Le brothers actually. And uh And that and and we cut down on on the expenses. I mean we won't go anywhere. I mean we just, you know, buy the very

00:59:15.590 - 00:59:36.770

basic. Uh, things that we needed, you know, and, you know, wear the same clothes, I know, use the washing machine and uh, you know, things like that we, we learned a lot, you know, how, how to live with. You know, small budget, yeah, and, and also,

00:59:37.010 - 01:00:00.679

you know, I was, uh, mechanically implying. So like uh. Uh, I work on cars. In, uh, on my house. Uh, you know, and whenever, you know, he was trying to pay the Mortgage payment because at that time we already had a, uh, bought a home and

01:00:00.679 - 01:00:19.679

making payments, uh, and if we didn't have enough money I'll come work uh two hours every day, you know, divide my time, you know, 2 or 3 days, and, uh, I would work during the day at the house fixing cars and then I would go to

01:00:19.679 - 01:00:41.600

do my my start deal is uh to keep opening up to support the right. No, no, it was different people, different people, because, you know, that you're just a mechanic, yeah, yeah, it wasn't like a solid or anything, no, yeah no. Yeah. They had nothing to

01:00:41.600 - 01:01:09.479

do. Well, I mean, what kind of, uh, solitary activities were going on around town that were helpful apart from what we were doing. I know that the the the the priests were really supportive. Oh yeah, we had uh. Father Gregorio was very supportive. He's still in

01:01:09.479 - 01:01:44.929

town in Washington and, yeah, Gregorio. Yeah, he's bilingual, uh, uh G R E G O R. He's a cat. What church is in? I think to Saint Francis, but he goes back and forth, you know, so I've seen him last year. I seen him last year,

01:01:44.979 - 01:02:07.120

but he's in Washingtonville. He was last year. He was still in Washingtonville. Was he involved uh with the negotiation around Richard Shaw? I don't think uh the local priests, you know, but, uh, I remember doing the, the hunger strike. Uh there was no priest that wanted

01:02:07.120 - 01:02:29.360

to get involved. There was no priest that wanted to get involved, you know, and I guess because, uh, you know, this is my, my assuming that. The companies they give uh big contributions to to the to the church and and probably they didn't wanna be uh.

01:02:30.510 - 01:02:47.189

You know, from the company this is during the hunger strike you said, uh huh, at the end, yeah, yeah, um, they maybe had a better relationship with David Gill and then he had with with the console yeah. I, I think so. Well, when they got that,

01:02:47.310 - 01:03:07.000

when they, when they did that March. On their knees. What's the word for that? I can't. Manda Manda let me in here OK. Um, it's a religious thing, isn't it? They do Lorrea told me to do it in Mexico all the time for on holidays and

01:03:07.000 - 01:03:31.229

summer. Um, They, there was one church that let them in to pray right when they when they say Baptist Saint Baptist church uh. Yeah, were you there when that happened? We were there, yeah, yeah. Can you describe that for me? Oh, it was uh. Well it

01:03:31.229 - 01:03:54.739

was pretty sad and. You know, these people, you know, I admire them for doing that and, you know, walking on their knees from the cannery to to the church. And you know some of them are bleeding and and uh but very determined, you know, to, to

01:03:54.739 - 01:04:11.669

keep on going no matter what, you know, and they did it you know with the media people there with them. the television crew there was uh. You did a lot of, you told me you did a lot of work with the, you know, the local media

01:04:12.080 - 01:04:42.949

during the, you know, during the strike. Some, uh, there was some radio stations. Uh, one of the uh. Um, Lores in Spanish. The radio announcer and uh he still runs radio station in Salinas. He let us uh do interviews, uh. I, I know, I myself and

01:04:42.949 - 01:05:01.919

Carlos Hernandez, you know, went over there. He had an article actually on the, uh, I guess it was the registered for that. I got all the stuff. I thought they brought too much. I I didn't, uh, put that one inside. It was an article that you

01:05:01.919 - 01:05:21.429

and Carlos signed that went into the local paper, I guess it was around mid February 8, uh huh, and it had to do with, you know. You were concerned that. A deal might be cut with, you know, between the bank and and pay the bill with

01:05:21.429 - 01:05:40.510

the union out. Um Um, I guess you were trying to make the point that. They couldn't, he couldn't take over the company without taking it, you know, the workers back. Were you concerned? Was that a big, big concern at the beginning when you heard that deal

01:05:40.510 - 01:05:58.790

was because you said it was like a big ray of hope when you came in. That you had no way of knowing what you see. Well, you know, Well one thing we figured that the why was that uh. But you know, by him buying the, the,

01:05:58.800 - 01:06:17.959

the company, I mean he didn't have a focus, you know, he didn't have a purpose and, and you know, so that was uh. Uh, a surprise but then when you. Well, we put a lot of, I, I, I know we put a lot of pressure and

01:06:17.959 - 01:06:34.969

uh one of the things that I remember is saying the going over there and saying you buy the plan to buy the strike right and by the time you buy the strike and we, we stayed uh firm on that and you had, um, did you have

01:06:34.969 - 01:06:58.959

uh you have demonstrations, uh. Follow the negotiation yeah well we had. Uh, Around the plan and also we went to the banks to Wells Fargo. Well, there's a great picture with a bunch of people in front of the bank, I guess, you know. Uh And there's

01:06:58.959 - 01:07:12.070

this cop, you know, or a security guard, somebody walking past us on the front page of the register on. I mean, I think we we printed it and made it too actually we're supposed to do it, but we did, um, but I mean. New Glory and,

01:07:12.080 - 01:07:25.669

you know, high heels and high heels and pearls kind of shaking her face, uh, you know, flipping about something like that, you know, I guess you'll be seeing her with her arms folded, you know, they all look like, uh. I don't think you're in that picture

01:07:25.669 - 01:07:47.879

you you went into flipping off story. It's, I mean, it's not gonna gain anything and. Because I mean they're not. I mean they were not our real enemies, you know, and in a way they were because they were siding they were fighting, they were siding with

01:07:47.879 - 01:08:05.510

a company, you know, with there, there was a lot of concern now that when conso went bankrupt. Wells Fargo might just kind of pick up the pieces and either shut the place down altogether, you know, liquidate the assets or cut a deal with somebody else to

01:08:05.510 - 01:08:23.640

buy the back and keep the in and out. I mean they really have a lot of. Control over what was gonna happen at that point and see that we have time. Did you have. I know that that the union was involved really from the beginning with

01:08:24.129 - 01:08:42.890

negotiating data bills takeover plans. But you didn't actually get involved until a little bit later on with the contract David Hi. Were you aware of the first negotiations? Did you know what was going on? You just didn't know I said that he was meeting with David

01:08:42.890 - 01:09:01.370

well secretly. You know, fairly early in the game, did you know about any of this? No, but, but that's later, yeah, what, what he was doing. Dude, what did you, when you raised that issue, you know, and then when you when you buy the strike. What

01:09:01.370 - 01:09:20.330

position serves you take? Officially, once, once the plant can go out and see you our former involvement. Oh, he was with us, yeah, oh yeah, yeah, but he was kind of sticking his neck out a little bit. Uh, yeah, because he knew the law. I, I

01:09:20.330 - 01:09:42.270

think he was more concerned that, you know, that, uh, that the girl didn't have to take us, you know, because he knew that, you know, he didn't have to take us. Well it seems like you played it important. Oh it is yeah. I know the uh

01:09:42.290 - 01:09:56.290

the movie kind of made light of it, you know, the way they treated it at the end. Yeah, I, I thought one of the things I did not like about the movie was that. You know, they, they sort of made Sergio look bad the way he

01:09:56.290 - 01:10:12.759

did that last interview when he actually said it's true, it was very important that there was a new owner who was wanted to do what he is and didn't mean that the workers didn't matter, but it was the way the way he edited well, that, that

01:10:12.759 - 01:10:26.959

kind of ticked me off. I mean, I know Sergio. May have made mistakes. I did some things that I wouldn't agree with, but I didn't think he deserved to get, you know, you know, he was there for the people, you know, the time the, the 13

01:10:26.959 - 01:10:46.939

years that I worked with him. You know, No, no matter who he was, because sometimes, uh, you know, like. We went to lunch with simple and uh and you know you think when you go to lunch and then you just go to lunch but he was

01:10:46.939 - 01:11:04.879

working he was talking about something and getting ideas and and sometimes he would call uh uh. Employee representative or an employer and talk to the employer about, you know, what are we gonna do about this problem, what are we gonna, you know, he was always working.

01:11:05.970 - 01:11:27.839

Yeah, here's something else that comes out of the Chuck Max's folder, I guess this is dated February 20th, '87. And um He uh This is where he actually tells Jackie Presser, you know, I, I think thinking seriously about putting up a 912 and trustee shit because

01:11:27.839 - 01:11:43.540

things are happening that are unauthorized and they're outside groups and this and that and the other I think this is what Sergio was referring to when he talked to me about, you know, the, the International Union threatening him. And this letter, I guess what happens is

01:11:43.540 - 01:12:00.970

that Chuck Mac requested John Blake. He pretty much put in charge of the local. It never actually came to that did it I mean that. You know, How what and it was you were only aware of because Sergio mentioned that it wasn't a public. But, you

01:12:00.970 - 01:12:21.720

know, Sergio knew a lot of things and, and he was concerned, very concerned, uh, and a lot of things. You know, those things he didn't call us right away, um, but he was working on it and trying to to resolve those issues. Well, if we have

01:12:21.720 - 01:12:40.720

gotten out, they were thinking that that would have had a horrible impact on people going out, you know. Oh yeah, because I mean those people that would come like, you know, John Blake or those people, they were not concerned about us. I mean they, they're concerned

01:12:40.720 - 01:13:03.839

about, you know, how to run the local and, and how to, you know. How does that gonna make an impact for for the whole Teamsters, you know, bringing, bringing revenue, man, you know. And the difference between them and and the local representatives in this case, Sergio

01:13:03.839 - 01:13:27.020

is that, you know, he was concerned about those ladies working, you know, on the line and and having health insurance for their kids and for their children. Did you have any conflicts or any difficulties with the guys at the international center? Not directly no. No, I

01:13:27.020 - 01:13:41.680

mean, what do you mean by, I mean, you say not directly. I mean what about indirectly? I mean what the things they did that you found? Oh, I had a I mean I talked to Sergio and actually, you know, he was, uh, I feel like he

01:13:42.370 - 01:13:59.879

talked to me and then uh. Um, sometimes he would ask me her opinions. He, he, he would do that with different people, you know. Well, one, I mean, I have a question about one of the things that the leader did like and uh you know, uh.

01:14:00.830 - 01:14:15.870

Edie Rodriguez and uh not involved there that uh you know whatever the shades um if there were things that they did that you didn't like or you had problems with were there particular. Things like this that you, you said you talked to Sergi about some of

01:14:15.870 - 01:14:39.330

the things. Well, one of the things, you know, that, you know, they came and they were just like spying, you know, instead of, you know, asking people, OK, what's happening over here, finding out what's really happening, where the help is needed so that they will come

01:14:39.330 - 01:14:55.370

and help. I mean they were paying good money. They were getting paid good money, you know, to do a job and and. You know, I, I think what they should have been doing is, you know, finding out what the real problem was and talk to the

01:14:55.370 - 01:15:15.339

people. They're trying to accept what needs to be done and and felt good you know but that. Doing it, you know, I guess they would train different, uh, I don't know, maybe I'm wrong, you know, but but is it that they were doing anything or that

01:15:15.339 - 01:15:32.040

they were doing stuff without consulting any of the strikers. Oh, they had their own, yeah, yeah, I guess they were doing stuff that they couldn't talk to you guys about uh. Well, there was one guy that would come and, you know, Rodriguez, he, he would come

01:15:32.040 - 01:15:57.990

and talk to the striker because he was bilingual. He would speak Spanish, but You know, I hate to see this, to say this, you know, but uh. You know, he would come and, uh, you know, if people were eating lunch they would. Take a taco from

01:15:57.990 - 01:16:16.450

them or burrito and eat it, you know, instead of bringing them, you know, and I mean, I, I shouldn't be saying this because this is personal, you know, but I, I felt really bad about that, you know. Well, it's, it's small. I mean, I, I think

01:16:16.450 - 01:16:38.859

enough time has gone by but you know. Yeah, it, it's the truth, it's it's the truth, you know. Yeah. That that's what happened, yeah, well, I, um. It's funny. I mean, I, I did interview Joe OK and um. He told me two stories and one about

01:16:38.859 - 01:16:57.770

Eddie was that he was the guy was had a reputation for being very stingy, you know, he didn't like the start of a nickel, you know, and he told me a story about, I guess, uh, JC Lamard that um. Right before the certification right. He actually,

01:16:57.850 - 01:17:10.859

you know, took Joe for a ride, you know, put him in the car, turned the radio way up, and said if you mess up this certification code, we're gonna, you know, you're gonna wind up with. You know, and he threatened his life, you know, and um

01:17:10.859 - 01:17:28.490

the guy was so. I guess he had Joe confused with. You know, one of the groups in car that group that said don't. Remarkable, you know, he was so out of it that, you know, he just assumed that Joe was in his room so seriously and

01:17:28.490 - 01:17:42.569

paying attention to, you know, and I was thinking these are the big high priced guys they send in there to kind of fix things, and they're that they're that that's not the way to fix things, you know, yeah, you know, well, I mean, it's not even,

01:17:42.609 - 01:18:00.450

I mean, Joe didn't want to see the boat. No, no, no, no, I mean he had the same way of thinking, yeah, which, uh, I mean we don't all agree with that, you know, but, uh, but he was, you know, trying his own way to, you

01:18:00.450 - 01:18:21.270

know, get things, uh, just, uh, done, uh, well, I mean, I guess it's just that. Everybody wanted me to win that vote, you know, except a couple of these, you know, screwballs and, you know, to for him to assume that Joe was part of that group,

01:18:21.430 - 01:18:36.060

you know, like the guy hasn't done his homework. I mean, quite apart from the fact that he was threatening, you know, uh, he didn't know who was who, you know, he didn't know the people he was dealing with. So I, I thought that was. Joe, I

01:18:36.060 - 01:18:53.609

guess, was, you know, probably funnier, more funnier than anything else, you know what I mean. We were joking about in the hall with people laughingly this guy that's, it's not, you know, it's not funny, you know, really, because that seem to happen, you know, well, but,

01:18:53.660 - 01:19:06.229

um, you know, to to to give TV you credit, I think it was that kind of thing when they first got started that they were trying to put a stop to, you know, that whole kind of strong arm whatever, make it more democratic and more open,

01:19:06.359 - 01:19:24.470

I think. You know they made a lot of mistakes in Watsonville, but uh you know there were some areas where they were really up against some pretty hard people, you know, they had to stick their necks out, you know, and they had. You know, write this

01:19:24.470 - 01:19:47.209

on their side. I think that's why they have a lot of credibility with outside people. They didn't really know the situation in the last ago. Oh, I see, yeah, I, I see your point, yeah, yeah, you know, I mean, uh. I wasn't struck me, um. See,

01:19:47.299 - 01:20:01.419

you have a national reputation, you know, among people who are interested in making the labor movement more democratic and so. You know, uh, if they put their name on something and have them watching though we really assume that that was, that was what was right, um.

01:20:02.580 - 01:20:17.250

They had earned and there's nothing wrong with being democratic. I mean, that's the best thing, you know, yeah, but if you do it, do it right way, you don't abuse it, yeah, it just didn't mean that everything they did in Watson, right, if they make mistakes

01:20:17.250 - 01:20:34.319

but I don't think they can understand. But I think it was hard for some outsiders to wrap their minds around the idea that she maybe she doesn't have the right approach here. Anyway, um, I need to go. I think I ask you most of the questions

01:20:34.319 - 01:20:48.609

I wanted to ask accepted. You did go down to Mexico after the strike and you were letting me send the first down there and you talked to me about that a little bit before, um, but mainly what we're trying to do is let people in this

01:20:48.609 - 01:21:07.870

country know what the conditions were like down there. Alex told me that Sergio actually thought the team should go down there and organize some of the Mexican plays. Is that we could discussed? Uh, yes, but uh. He never Look I get it so, yeah, you couldn't

01:21:07.870 - 01:21:30.410

do it, but put some money and I think, well, I mean, you know, and that, uh. And organize it there in Mexico, yeah, but, uh, in a puerto, but, uh, you know, I can't, you know, it, it was, you know, a lot bigger than that and

01:21:30.410 - 01:21:49.330

can be done, you know, just by one local, you know, especially what you know, like when I was going through. Well, I was just wondering, I mean, um. With you talk uh when Ron Kerry and his present reunion. Uh, of, of, of, of Mexico that I

01:21:49.330 - 01:22:12.750

come up. I know Sergio worked in his administration as part of his, his, his, his life. Well, I know one thing that local man did and Sergio had a lot to do with it was country of origin labeling. Country of origin labeling, yeah, the labels and

01:22:12.750 - 01:22:30.060

uh it was, you know, it was a really good thing, you know, uh, that happened and it got passed and You know, because You know, the labels, uh, you know, they could put whatever they wanted and they have to. They don't have to disclose, you know,

01:22:30.149 - 01:22:50.549

where the product was coming from and how clean and, you know, ready to eat, you know. Did you stay on as business agent after the last Frozen food plant closed, and you basically you'll be here until you retired or. No, they So you did it for

01:22:50.549 - 01:23:09.779

13 years you said yeah I stopped working in. 2001 and then then Charlotte. Actually with the foods uh was still on. Did you uh did you go back to work there before they closed it down again? No, you just retired.