Resolution Adopted by the CCAR
Farm Workers
Adopted by the CCAR at the 87th Annual Convention of
the Central Conference of American Rabbis
1976
WHEREAS the Central Conference of American Rabbis, because of its basic commitment
to justice for the poor, has historically supported the right of farm workers to
organize into a union for the purposes of collective bargaining with their employers,
and
WHEREAS the CCAR has specifically supported the non-violent efforts of the United
Farm Workers of America AFL-CIO, and
WHEREAS the ten-year struggle of farm workers in California has led to a major legislative
breakthrough that guarantees seasonal and year-round farm workers an opportunity
to vote in a secret ballot election for the union of their choice, and
WHEREAS the Agricultural Labor Relations Act is not holding elections in California
at this time, because a minority of legislators allied with the growers and Teamsters
has successfully blocked refunding of the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, and
WHEREAS the United Farm Workers have gathered 719,000 signatures on an initiative
petition to put the ALRA on the general election ballot in California in November,
1976 in order to ensure the continuation and funding of the law, and
WHEREAS even if the law becomes operational again there is ample evidence that some
growers will resist negotiating collective bargaining agreements even after their
workers have chosen the United Farm Workers in a state supervised, secret ballot
election,
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Central Conference of American Rabbis, in 87th Annual
Convention assembled in San Francisco, California, this 23rd day of June, 1976, encourages
its friends and constituents in California to lend support to the Farm Worker Initiative which will be voted on by all the people of California on November 2,
1976, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the CCAR takes notice of situations where farm workers
have voted for the union of their choice but have not been able to negotiate effective
collective bargaining agreements, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the CCAR urges all persons of good will to seek out and
purchase UFW Black Eagle label grapes and iceberg (head) lettuce to affirm those
growers who have bargained in good faith and as an incentive to growers who are procrastinating in negotiations, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the CCAR calls on its constituents to support California-type
collective bargaining legislation for farm workers in Florida and in other states
where the United Farm Workers have begun an organizing drive and are seeking support for such labor legislation.