As the Legislature's top leaders look on Tuesday, unionized farm workers from America's largest rose producer will plant newly created Cesar Chavez rose bushes outside the state Capitol's west entrance to mark the ninth anniversary of the legendary farm labor leader's death. The ceremony kicks off a United Farm Workers campaign to enact legislation enabling many more farm workers to win what they voted for in secret-ballot elections: union contracts.

Lawmakers and more than 100 farm workers will witness planting of the bushes produced in Kern County by Bear Creek Corp., where roughly 1,000 workers have been covered by a UFW contract since 1996. The union, company and workers have forged a unique partnership that has boosted productivity and reduced workers' compensation claims. A Bear Creek union member suggested the Chavez rose at a joint meeting. It is being marketed nationwide under Bear Creek's Jackson & Perkins company name. Ten percent of net profits are going to the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation, which was formed to promote Chavez's legacy.

The rose-planting spotlights SB 1736, by state Senate President pro Tem John L. Burton (D-San Francisco). It would amend the historic 1975 Agricultural Labor Relations Act by allowing the Agricultural Labor Relations Board to call for specialized professional arbitrators to resolve differences between unions and growers during negotiations.

Of the 428 ranches where farm workers voted for the UFW in state-supervised elections since 1975, only 185 growers have signed contracts with the Cesar Chavez-founded union. "Only a small minority of farm workers who at one time voted for the UFW have enjoyed the life-improving benefits of union contracts," says UFW President Arturo Rodriguez, who will join Burton and Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson at the ceremony. "Many growers retaliated against their workers' choices at the ballot-box by never agreeing to union contracts. For tens of thousands of California farm workers, the law's promise has not been fulfilled; it is flawed and needs to be fixed."

Chavez and Gov. Jerry Brown pushed the farm labor law through the Legislature 27 years ago. Chavez died on April 23, 1993.

Who: UFW President Arturo Rodriguez, state Senate leader John Burton, Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson, other lawmakers, more than 100 farm workers, including rose workers from Bear Creek Corp.

What: Ceremonial planting of Cesar Chavez rose bushes outside the west entrance of the state Capitol to promote a UFW-backed bill allowing unions and growers to settle differences during contract talks.

When: 11:15 a.m., Tuesday, April 23, 2002.

Where: Flower bed outside the state Capitol's west entrance (10th St. side), Sacramento.

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