Imperial Valley Grower Is Paid $2.3 Million for Strike Damage

A major Imperial Valley carrot grower has been paid $2.3 million in damages and interest for crop losses suffered during a 1979 strike after the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay the award.

The United Farm Workers of America had sought the stay while the Supreme Court decides whether it will hear the case.

Maggio Inc. won a $1.6-million judgment in Imperial County Superior Court for carrot, lettuce and broccoli crop losses suffered during the strike, which was organized by the UFW against vegetable growers in the Imperial and Salinas valleys.

Jay Jeffcoat, a San Diego lawyer representing grower Carl Joseph Maggio, said the check for the original judgment plus interest was released by Imperial County Superior Court on Monday afternoon.

“The trial court found specific incidents of violence were tied to specific crop losses,” Jeffcoat said.

Jeffcoat said that, although the strike was widespread, Maggio Inc. workers received the brunt of the violence because the company’s logo was easily identifiable.

UFW Vice President Arturo Rodriguez said the judgment is unfair because it makes an award for large-scale crop loss based on isolated incidents of violence.

“The sad thing for us is that the real serious violence really was committed against the farm workers during the strike,” Rodriguez said.