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SECTION I - PAGE t^PLAINDE^ER ..FRIDAY. MARCH It. It7f JHE LETTUCE STRIKE v Bv RON ALD KKAfiAN California's lettuce strike is now becoming a celery strike and no matter how it ends up it will translate into higher produce prices for every American household. At stake is a test of the Carter administration's wage-and- price guidelines as well as a test of strength of the mystique of Cesar Chavez, founder of the United Farm Workers union. When the union's contract expired in mid-January, growers in the Imperial Valley, which provides nearly 95 percent of the nation's "Winter lettuce crop, offered proposals based on the Carter guidelines of maximum seven percent wage increases. The UFW demanded increases ranging from 25-85 percent. Growers also requested that the Federal Mediation and Conciliation service be brought into the case. The UFW refused and began striking on Jan. 19. The strike grew ugly in late February. According to a San Diego newspaper, 1,500 UFW members "staged commando­ like raids" on the fields Feb. 21. There was much rock- throwing, vandalism, tear gas from law enforcement forces, injuries, even one death (Chavez immediately elevated the dead man to martyr status). The otljpr day, an Imperial County Superior court judge (who had been criticized by growers as being pro-UFW) issued a temporary restraining order limiting union protests to 100 picketers per farm. He said the UFW had shown "an ap­ parent lack of desire to control the violence." Coming so late in the harvest season, the order may be more symbolic than real, for UFW forces are now moving on to the celery fields in Ventura county, north of LosAngeles, as that crop comes to harvest. Chavez' efforts to halt the winter lettuce harvest were only partly successful. A volunteer battalion of housewives, school children and a few strikebreaking workers moved into the fields when the strike began. Still, growers estimate a loss of between $2-3 million worth of lettuce. A charismatic leader to his supporters, Chavez has said his workers get "just crumbs" from the growers. The growers contend, however, that piecework employees can easily earn the U.S. annual average household income of $7,019 in just a few weeks at current pay rates and that this would improve under the proposal they have made. Though pay scales vary depending on the type of work, the current range is from just under $4 to $13 per hour. If the lion's demands were to be Wonder Lake Inn & Lounge Featuring Chinese & American Cuisine NOW OPEN FOR LUNCH-TUES. THRU FRI. 11:30 TO 2 SPECIALS! •TUES. & WED. ALL DAY-SENIOR CITIZENS 10% OFF •THURS. ALL DAY-FRIED CHICKEN $2.85 •FRI. NITE-FISHERMAN'S WHARF $2.95 CARRY OUT ORDERS! 5506 E. WONDER LAKE RD. WONDER LAKE, ILL. PHONE 815-72S-0411 OPEN FOR DINNERS: TUES. THURS. 4 to 9. FRI. 4 to 10 SAT. 1 to 10 SUN. 1 to 9 BANQUET ft HALL FACILITIES 20 - 120 GUESTS $3.50 $7.00 PER PERSON FAMILY STYLE MANPCWER ©HEALTH CARE Supervised Home C^re & Private Duty • ELDERLY • MATERNITY • CONVALESCENT • INFANTS & CHILDREN • POST OPERATIVE • TERMINALLY ILL Each employee carefully screened, reference checked, bonded and insured. • Registered Nurses • Licensed Practical Nurses • Nurse Aides & Home Health Aides • Companions/Sitters • Domestic Assistance • Mother Substitute FOR INFORMATION CALL: Pat at 385-6600 met on a per-carton-of-lettuce basis, growers say that current labor costs of $1.07 would shoot up to $3.09 - a 187 percent in­ crease. Recently, Chavez told a rally that "To me, this strike is a dream come true." Yet, under the surface, it may be more a case of the ruler in domestic trouble who starts a war to divert his subjects' attention. Though the UFW now has a clear field in agricultural organizing and this is the first strike since 1975 when the California legislature passed a bill granting secret ballot organizing elections and collective bargaining to farm workers, all is not well for the UFW. The Teamsters, Chavez' original competition, withdrew in 1977 and the UFW claims nearly 100,000 members now, but its contract negotiating rate has dropped in recent months and it has lost two of three decertification elections. Further, grower ads needle Chavez about worker com­ plaints since the UFW took over the workers' medical program. They also question the propriety of the UFW ex­ tracting one day's pay from each workers per year without accounting for its use. The Best The best reducing ex­ ercise consists in placing both hands against the table and pushing back. -Chronicle, San Francisco. v.v.v v.v.'.v.v*.; XvX' " [A few minutes/MERicAN SPANISH EARLY MEDITERRANEAN 3 Authentic Styles. Available in a size for every need. Notched shelves fit together perfectly for multiple units. .lit* PRICES EFFECTIVE FRI., MAR. 16 THRU SUN.. MAR. 18 YOUR CHOICE *8" Spindles m 31 Reg. 1.97 | *10" Spindles •45 Reg. 2.12 •12" Spindles Reg. 2.12 tortor (14x36") Spindlt Shelves Easy shelves that mat­ ch up with spindles for beautiful furniture. Paneling 4 x 8 s h e e t s . B e a u t i f y your home with easy care paneling. Reg.* 9.17 W Reg * 8.37 V 87 27 If Tuft Vinyl Upholstery Add new luxurious texture to any sur­ face. A Ft. Reg. 2.94 Ft. 5 Shell Unit All purpose steel shelving that's ad­ justable to all your storage needs. 12" shelves adjustable ^^^from 37" to 73" high. Reg. 21. Wijrnhwu Wood Grain Shelving 43 Economical shelving for countless uses around your house in 4' x 8' lengths. 1 2.16 • Reg. ̂ 3.87 A 84 •v.v.v.v.v. 10" Heavy Duty Pipe Wrench r 937 Pip* wrench it easy handling os well as dependable. Great for those fix-up jobs around tho house I Reg. 3.76 w«t, „ Skil® Variable Speed Drill _ _ __ - r - - - O 1 8 7 NoT 569. 3/8" double in sulated drill for 2-prong plug use. Removable side handle Reg. 24.87 1 SPRING GREEN HIGHLIGHT-Germination tests being performed in Plant Propagation class at McHenry County college help students to understand viability of seeds. Demonstrations like these will be given at MCC's Spring Green open house March 17 and 18. The public is invited to attend. High Risk Parents Serve 11 Counties Several parents who had experienced a High Risk birth decided, with the prompting of the High Risk Perinatal unit and Winnebago Boone association to organize into a group to offer any kind of support possible to other parents going through the High Risk birth experience. The High Risk unit of Rock- ford Memorial hospital serves an eleven county area - Lee, Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, JoDaviess, Kane, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties in northern Illinois with a regional director for each area. Since the start in December, 1977, the High Risk Parent's group has offered support to over 277 new parents. Originally, the membership was made up of parents who wanted to help other parents. They were parents who un­ derstood the feelings and problems that new High Risk parents encounter. On a voluntary basis they would make contact with the new parent and would care, listen and share. Since then the membership has been ex­ panded to not only include the parents who can offer support, but also include those who need support. By the fact that parents have had a High Risk baby they automatically become a member of the High Risk Parents' group. This free and unobligating membership not only allows one to give support but to also get support. For further information call Joe and Deb Saban, 26 E. Terra Cotta avenue, Crystal Lake. Pregnancy Disability Benefits Illinois Attorney General William J. Scott, on behalf of the Fair Employment Prac­ tices Commission (FEPC), won a court victory last week which grants pregnant employees the same disability and hospital benefits as are payable for other disabilities. The ruling, which states that exclusion or limitation of pregnancy-related disabilities from employment benefits is discrimination on the basis of sex, was entered in the case of Illinois Consolidated Telephone Co. v. Illinois FEPC, et al. Your Own For 10% Down Our allotted Toro snowthrowers were gone early this winter, despite record production. Dut 10% down now reserves the two- stage model that's right for you. Choose from a 4, 5, 7, 8, or 11 horse models and save from $50.00 to $100.00 off '79 prices. Don't settle for less winter will return. Geo. P. Freund, Inc. 4102 Crystal Lake Road a j o a McHenry 3oO-U420 Htrart yon done without a Toro kmg enough? 'Comparing dealer's regular price and promotional selling price. TORO Layaway A i /