United Farm Workers - TAKE ACTION

Help Stop Gender Bias in the Grapes!

TAKE ACTION
Sign the petition telling Kovacevich "5" Farms such behavior is not acceptable

Kovacevich "5" Farms of Delano, CA, a grape grower with operations in both Fresno and Tulare counties, is being sued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for alleged sexual discrimination for supposedly refusing to hire women workers.

The federal lawsuit claims that between 1998 and 2002 Kovacevich "5" Farms hired 300 seasonal workers. Not one of them was a woman.

According to the Fresno Bee, EEOC San Francisco District Director Joan Ehrlich said, "The EEOC has received many charges of sexual harassment and other forms of blatant discrimination in this sector. But under no circumstances, in this day and age, have we seen this zero hiring of women in the work force."

This is not the first time Kovacevich "5" Farms has been in legal trouble. Workers at Kovacevich who were organized by the UFW have brought separate lawsuits against the company. In October 2005, the grape producer was ordered to pay $1.7 million in back wages to approximately 500 workers who were required to report to work at 6 a.m., but who were not put on the clock to be paid until 30 minutes later.

Please sign the online petition and tell Kovacevich "5" Farms that sexual bias and other forms of farm worker abuse are not acceptable.

Support the United Farm Workers! Visit their web site at www.ufw.org today! “Si Se Puede”