Furrowed brows over the farmworkers union

Re “Farmworkers Reap Little as Union Strays From Its Roots,” Jan. 8

It is truly tragic to read that the United Farm Workers is prostituting its name for political and economic gain. What does political support of tribal casinos and support of homosexual marriage have to do with the welfare of farmworkers, who still struggle to attain life’s basic necessities?

As an experienced educator who for many years has taught about the positive contributions of the UFW, it is with great dismay that I must now teach about the dark side of the union.

SAM CHAIDEZ

Mission Hills

*

Have the businesses that employ the farmworkers as slaves and who fight unionization purchased The Times?

After reading the front-page story about the union supposedly straying from its roots, the story fails to mention the names of the companies in the San Diego area that allow their employees to live in tents with no food, no sanitation and no electricity.

Isn’t the real story about how companies have fought against unionizing, and how we all look the other way as we eat our strawberries and other food placed on the table by these workers? And how we all look the other way as our government demonizes the “illegal immigrants” crossing the border and taking our jobs?

MARILYN H. LEVIN

Los Angeles