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| California Today: The Collapse of Organized Farm Labor | California Today: The Collapse of Organized Farm Labor |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Good morning. | Good morning. |
| (Want to get California Today by email? Here’s the sign-up.) | (Want to get California Today by email? Here’s the sign-up.) |
| Let’s turn it over to Thomas Fuller, our San Francisco bureau chief, for today’s introduction. | Let’s turn it over to Thomas Fuller, our San Francisco bureau chief, for today’s introduction. |
| More than four decades ago California passed a landmark law protecting the state’s farmworkers from abuse and helping them to organize. | More than four decades ago California passed a landmark law protecting the state’s farmworkers from abuse and helping them to organize. |
| But the recent resignation of the head of a board that oversees the implementation of the law highlights the extent to which organized labor among farmworkers has collapsed since the days of the pioneering labor leader Cesar Chavez. | But the recent resignation of the head of a board that oversees the implementation of the law highlights the extent to which organized labor among farmworkers has collapsed since the days of the pioneering labor leader Cesar Chavez. |
| Chavez’s activism was instrumental in the creation of the Agricultural Labor Relations Act in 1975, the passage of which Gov. Jerry Brown described as a major accomplishment of his first stint as governor. | Chavez’s activism was instrumental in the creation of the Agricultural Labor Relations Act in 1975, the passage of which Gov. Jerry Brown described as a major accomplishment of his first stint as governor. |
| In his recent resignation letter, the head of the board, William B. Gould IV, described the law as “irrelevant to farmworkers.” He estimated that less than one percent of the agricultural work force is now represented by a union. | In his recent resignation letter, the head of the board, William B. Gould IV, described the law as “irrelevant to farmworkers.” He estimated that less than one percent of the agricultural work force is now represented by a union. |
| As chairman of the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, Mr. Gould was charged with overseeing the certification process of union elections. Yet Mr. Gould said virtually no workers came to the board during his tenure. | As chairman of the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, Mr. Gould was charged with overseeing the certification process of union elections. Yet Mr. Gould said virtually no workers came to the board during his tenure. |
| “During the entire three years that I was chairman of the board there was only one petition for representation filed by a union in the state of California,” he said. | “During the entire three years that I was chairman of the board there was only one petition for representation filed by a union in the state of California,” he said. |
| Mr. Gould says a major factor for the decline of organized farm labor is the fear that undocumented workers have of dealing with the government. Around half of the Californian agricultural work force is in the country illegally. | Mr. Gould says a major factor for the decline of organized farm labor is the fear that undocumented workers have of dealing with the government. Around half of the Californian agricultural work force is in the country illegally. |
| “There is not only no incentive to complain but there is no incentive to become involved with government in any way,” Mr. Gould said. | “There is not only no incentive to complain but there is no incentive to become involved with government in any way,” Mr. Gould said. |
| California’s agricultural industry is bigger than ever. It produces roughly a third of all fruits and vegetables grown in the United States and has about a third of the nation’s farmworkers. | California’s agricultural industry is bigger than ever. It produces roughly a third of all fruits and vegetables grown in the United States and has about a third of the nation’s farmworkers. |
| Philip Martin, a specialist on organized farm labor, paints a less stark picture than Mr. Gould of the plight of farmworkers. | Philip Martin, a specialist on organized farm labor, paints a less stark picture than Mr. Gould of the plight of farmworkers. |
| Farmworker wages “have gone up significantly,” Mr. Martin said, and some workers have the benefit of voluntary agreements that growers sometimes enter with their suppliers. The average hourly wage of farmworkers in California is around $12, he said, above the state’s current minimum wage of $10. | Farmworker wages “have gone up significantly,” Mr. Martin said, and some workers have the benefit of voluntary agreements that growers sometimes enter with their suppliers. The average hourly wage of farmworkers in California is around $12, he said, above the state’s current minimum wage of $10. |
| Mr. Martin, a professor emeritus at the University of California, Davis, says estimates on unionization rates among farmworkers in California are not very reliable because there are no government requirements to report them. But he says it is undeniable that unionization rates have plummeted from the heyday of union power in the late 1970s. | Mr. Martin, a professor emeritus at the University of California, Davis, says estimates on unionization rates among farmworkers in California are not very reliable because there are no government requirements to report them. But he says it is undeniable that unionization rates have plummeted from the heyday of union power in the late 1970s. |
| “There’s not near the union activity that there used to be,” he said. | “There’s not near the union activity that there used to be,” he said. |
| Student groups at U.C. Berkeley had vowed to disrupt the scheduled appearance of a controversial, right-wing speaker. | Student groups at U.C. Berkeley had vowed to disrupt the scheduled appearance of a controversial, right-wing speaker. |
| And on Wednesday, as the speaker, Milo Yiannopoulos, an editor at Breitbart News, was set to appear, protesters delivered on the promise, setting fires and throwing objects at buildings. | And on Wednesday, as the speaker, Milo Yiannopoulos, an editor at Breitbart News, was set to appear, protesters delivered on the promise, setting fires and throwing objects at buildings. |
| The police canceled the event before it could begin, and buildings on the campus were locked down for several hours. | The police canceled the event before it could begin, and buildings on the campus were locked down for several hours. |
| Mr. Yiannopoulos condemned the outcome. “One thing we do know for sure,” he said on Facebook, “the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down.” | Mr. Yiannopoulos condemned the outcome. “One thing we do know for sure,” he said on Facebook, “the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down.” |
| On Thursday morning President Trump responded on Twitter, appearing to defend Mr. Yiannopoulos and threaten the university’s funding: | On Thursday morning President Trump responded on Twitter, appearing to defend Mr. Yiannopoulos and threaten the university’s funding: |
| (Please note: We regularly highlight articles on news sites that have limited access for nonsubscribers.) | (Please note: We regularly highlight articles on news sites that have limited access for nonsubscribers.) |
| • What a diverse California says about the future of political strife in the rest of the United States. [The New York Times] | • What a diverse California says about the future of political strife in the rest of the United States. [The New York Times] |
| • A federal judge in Los Angeles blocked part of President Trump’s travel ban. [The New York Times] | • A federal judge in Los Angeles blocked part of President Trump’s travel ban. [The New York Times] |
| • The Sierra Nevada snowpack is the biggest in 22 years — and more snow is on the way. [The Mercury News] | • The Sierra Nevada snowpack is the biggest in 22 years — and more snow is on the way. [The Mercury News] |
| • “I have found no other country that aligns more with my view of the future than New Zealand,” wrote Peter Thiel. [The New York Times] | • “I have found no other country that aligns more with my view of the future than New Zealand,” wrote Peter Thiel. [The New York Times] |
| • Snapchat’s idea: Your online identity is not a compilation of everything you’ve ever done, but “who I am right now.” [The New York Times] | • Snapchat’s idea: Your online identity is not a compilation of everything you’ve ever done, but “who I am right now.” [The New York Times] |
| • The big wave contest Titans of Mavericks was thrown into doubt after organizers filed for bankruptcy. [San Francisco Chronicle] | • The big wave contest Titans of Mavericks was thrown into doubt after organizers filed for bankruptcy. [San Francisco Chronicle] |
| • Oakland’s mayor said the city would not subsidize a Raiders stadium. [East Bay Times] | |
| • San Francisco’s Millennium Tower is still sinking, and residents may get stuck with the repair bill. [Bloomberg] | • San Francisco’s Millennium Tower is still sinking, and residents may get stuck with the repair bill. [Bloomberg] |
| • “About a third of all California renters today are paying more than 50 percent of their income in rent.” [KQED] | • “About a third of all California renters today are paying more than 50 percent of their income in rent.” [KQED] |
| • What $1.9 million buys in Santa Barbara, Denver and suburban Philadelphia. [The New York Times] | • What $1.9 million buys in Santa Barbara, Denver and suburban Philadelphia. [The New York Times] |
| • A hummingbird egg has stalled a project to upgrade a Bay Area bridge. [The Associated Press] | • A hummingbird egg has stalled a project to upgrade a Bay Area bridge. [The Associated Press] |
| • Movie review: “Water & Power: A California Heist” makes the case that water is becoming the new oil. [The Salt Lake Tribune] | • Movie review: “Water & Power: A California Heist” makes the case that water is becoming the new oil. [The Salt Lake Tribune] |
| The country’s largest Ikea is opening Wednesday in Burbank. | The country’s largest Ikea is opening Wednesday in Burbank. |
| To help grasp the vastness of the home furnishing emporium, some numbers: | To help grasp the vastness of the home furnishing emporium, some numbers: |
| 8 — approximate number of football fields that could fit in the store | 8 — approximate number of football fields that could fit in the store |
| 19 — buildings razed to make room for it | 19 — buildings razed to make room for it |
| 600 — seats in the restaurant | 600 — seats in the restaurant |
| 30 — checkout lanes | 30 — checkout lanes |
| 1,700 — parking spaces | 1,700 — parking spaces |
| Countless — shoppers sure to get lost in the store’s labyrinthine layout | Countless — shoppers sure to get lost in the store’s labyrinthine layout |
| A photographer for The Burbank Leader took a tour. Take a look. | A photographer for The Burbank Leader took a tour. Take a look. |
| Want to submit a photo for possible publication? You can do it here. | Want to submit a photo for possible publication? You can do it here. |
| California Today goes live at 6 a.m. Pacific time weekdays. Tell us what you want to see: CAtoday@nytimes.com. | California Today goes live at 6 a.m. Pacific time weekdays. Tell us what you want to see: CAtoday@nytimes.com. |
| The California Today columnist, Mike McPhate, is a third-generation Californian — born outside Sacramento and raised in San Juan Capistrano. He lives in Davis. Follow him on Twitter. | The California Today columnist, Mike McPhate, is a third-generation Californian — born outside Sacramento and raised in San Juan Capistrano. He lives in Davis. Follow him on Twitter. |
| California Today is edited by Julie Bloom, who grew up in Los Angeles and attended U.C. Berkeley. | California Today is edited by Julie Bloom, who grew up in Los Angeles and attended U.C. Berkeley. |