Martin is one of eight women who work at the winery, which is organized by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 186-D. The rally, in the heart of Napa wine country, marked the six-month anniversary of the lockout of the plant's 45 production workers. The company's attack on the union came after workers, many originally from Mexico, unanimously rejected a concession contract that included lower wages, elimination of job classifications, and erosion of seniority rights. Wage reductions were to average $2.64 an hour. The union also charges that the company allowed medical coverage for the workforce to lapse last March.

Of the 280 wineries in the Napa wine region, which is about 70 miles north of San Francisco, Krug is the last with a union. Krug produces wine under the Charles Krug and C.K. Mondavi labels and the winery is owned by the Peter Mondavi family.

California accounts for more than 90 percent of U.S. wine production and vineyard acreage, and California wine sales have increased for the seventh consecutive year. Wine is the number one finished agricultural product in the state in retail value, worth about $33 billion. If California were a nation, it would be the fourth leading wine producer in the world behind Italy, France, and Spain.

There has been support organized for the locked-out workers in the area, especially on the college campuses. Students at Napa Valley College organized a salsa dance to benefit the workers, and students from the University of California-Davis School of Law sponsored a teach-in on campus. One of the student organizers of that teach-in was on hand at the rally passing out hot chocolate and donuts.

Speakers at the rally spoke in both English and Spanish. Alfredo Martin, explained that "strikers are not allowed on Krug property to buy the expensive wine we made for them. Well, now that wine will taste rotten from now on."

Three vineyard workers came from the Hess Winery in Napa to express their support. Victor Torres told the Militant that the field workers at Hess voted for the UFCW to represent them by a vote of 63–2. That was in 1999. To date, they are still working with no contract because Hess management does not recognize the union.

Les Crane, a UFCW local vice-president who works at the Frazia Winery down in the Central Valley, explained to the Militant that "it's important that winery workers in other regions support the Krug workers." The UFCW represents some 1,700 winery and distillery workers throughout the state. Before the union-busting campaigns of the Napa wine barons, some 500 workers in the region's wine industry were organized.

This past August, the National Labor Relations Board rejected the local's charges that the lockout is illegal.

It was important that the workers "rejected the bosses' divisions," James Potter said. Potter, who works a more skilled operator job in the wine cellar, would actually have gained a little under the boss' contract offer. But that contract would have taken money away from the "tail end" jobs, including company moves to use more temporary workers who would not have union protection. "We can't accept this," Potter said. They got the money. All workers deserve an across-the-board raise."

After the rally supporters of the Krug workers marched through the downtown tourist area chanting, "Union-busting is disgusting!"

The winery workers will be voting on another contract offer by the company this week.

Bill Kalman is a member of UFCW Local 120 in San Lorenzo, California.  
 
 
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