Latinos Hit Firms’ English Fluency Rule

Spanish-speaking workers charged that seven Northern California canneries have refused to rehire people with up to 30 years experience unless they speak and write English fluently.

A complaint filed on behalf of seasonal cannery workers with the state Fair Employment and Housing Department named as defendants the canneries, the state Employment Development Department and the Teamsters Union, which bargains for the workers.

“These canneries, with the collusion of the EDD and the cooperation of the union, are discarding loyal, competent, hard-working employees with up to 30 years of experience,” said Derek Van Hoorn, an attorney with California Rural Legal Assistance.

“Sorting fruit is the same as it was 30 years ago,” he said. “You don’t need to speak English like (actor Laurence) Olivier or write like Shakespeare to sort tomatoes.”

The complaint charged that canners stopped hiring workers with limited knowledge of English last year and that the EDD stopped referring such workers at the canners’ request.

Some canners here have asked that workers for some positions be fluent in English, said John Rice, manager of the Modesto Employment Development office.

But he added, “We make sure there is no discrimination or we don’t accept the job order.”

The canners named in the complaint were Ragu Foods Inc., Del Monte Corp., Diamond Walnut, Campbell, Tri/Valley Growers, Tillie Lewis Foods and Pacific Coast Producers.