State’s Farmworkers Have Union to Thank

“Unions of Little Help to Calif. Farmworkers” (Letters, March 16) states: “Farmworkers all over the state are treated better and paid more than those in the rest of the world, not just the U.S.”

The writer goes on to say, “Most of this is because farmers and farmworkers are indispensable to each other. Out of the hundreds of thousands of farmworkers in California, the fact that the UFW is down to fewer than 6,000 members speaks for itself.”

What he doesn’t say or acknowledge is that if it was not for those 6,000 union members, the farmworkers in California would not be treated better than farmworkers anywhere in the world.

Unions set the standard by which all others are measured. If it weren’t for the union’s presence, the farmworkers would be lucky to get minimum wage.

If you doubt me, just look at what any U.S. corporation does where there are no unions.

Charlie Key

Atlanta