HARRY HUGHES, Governor

3541

WHEREAS, The World Resources Institute reports that over
300,000 farm workers are poisoned each year by chemicals used in
agriculture; and

WHEREAS, When farm workers' rights are or are not enforced,
it does not represent a momentary political advantage for one
side or the other, but it means life or death for the poorest and
most abused workers in the state of California; and

WHEREAS, This fight for the rights of farm workers is not a
fight about ideology or philosophy or partianship; and

WHEREAS, Juan Chabolla might be alive today if legislation
that Senator Nichols Petris has been trying to pass for the last
20 years, in the California Legislature, had been in effect; and

WHEREAS, Senator Petris' bill is Nicholas Petris introduced,
in the California legislature, a modest proposal requiring
growers to post warning signs in fields which have recently been
sprayed with dangerous pesticides; and

WHEREAS, No signs were posted where Juan Chabolla was
stricken on August 5, 1985; and

WHEREAS, The Petris bill was finally passed by the
California Legislature in September 1985; and

WHEREAS, On October 2, 1985, less than 2 months after Juan
Chabolla died, the growers had Governor Deukmejin veto the bill;
and

WHEREAS, On October 2, 1985, California agribusiness had
Governor Deukmejian veto the bill; and

WHEREAS, The California Agriculture Labor Relations Board
has ceased to be a vehicle to help farm workers improve their
lives; and

WHEREAS, Since the 1960's, the United Farm Workers of
America have helped thousands of farm workers win protection from
toxic pesticides and many other benefits; and

WHEREAS, The gains won by the United Farm Workers are being
undermined; and

WHEREAS, The United Farm Workers of America, under the
leadership of Cesar Chavez, have call called for a new boycott of
nonunion fresh grapes; and

WHEREAS, Across North American, state and federal lawmakers,

mayors and city councils, labor and religious leaders,

minorities, students, and consumers are taking the grape boycott
pledge and spreading the word; and