Strikes Hit 2 More Wineries; Talks Broken Off

Wine workers struck two more wineries Thursday and threatened to shut down California’s $5.5-billion wine industry after emphatically rejecting the latest employer proposal.

Talks broke off Wednesday night after sharp disagreement on money and a broad range of fringe benefit issues. No new talks were scheduled.

“We will bring the California wine industry to a halt,” said Robert Fogg, president of the Winery, Distillery and Allied Workers Union, Local 186. “I do not guarantee that I can control my people.”

Asked to be specific, Fogg said he was talking about possible violence and that he was not certain he could contain the anger of the workers in view of the employers’ “humiliating offer.”

Fogg called strikes of about 75 workers at Napa Valley’s Charles Krug Winery and at Gibson Wine Co. operations at Sanger and Elk Grove. Five other wineries--Vie-Del, Christian Brothers, Franzia, Lamont and Bronco--have already been struck, with about 900 workers on the picket lines.

In a telephone interview, Fogg accused attorney Robert Lieber, spokesman for the 12-member Winery Employers Assn., of “union-busting” tactics and charged the association with having no intention of agreeing to a new contract.

Lieber, in another telephone interview, fired back: “I think he’s (Fogg) union-busting. I think if he’s not careful, he’ll lead the union membership in the wrong direction.”

Wineries in the association produce about half of California’s wine. A total of 2,000 to 2,500 workers are involved in the two winery union locals negotiating with the employer group.