WIednesdoy, August 14, 1974
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Page Three
Chavez still battling Teamsters
KEENE, Calif. iP)-The trials of Cesar
Chavez go on.
In the spring of 1972, he hoped to
begin concentrating on philosophical as-
pects of "La Causa," the cause of im-
proving the lives of field hands that his
United Farm Workers of America then
dominated.
HE WOULD let ranch committees of
working members solve union-grower
conflicts, even renegotiating historic
table grape contracts due to expire the
next year, Chavez told an interviewer.
He began regular seminars for work-
ers at La Paz, the union's headquarters
in this central California town, to "raise
their consciousness, create brotherhood,
a dedication to the struggle and a com-
mitment to nonviolence."
Chavez even dreamed of eventually
cooperating for better crop prices with
small farmers, whom he considered
"glorified farm workers with a mort-
gage. If they organized for better prices,
it becomes our interest."
A YEAR LATER, his hopes vanished
as the UFW was jolted back into a
struggle to survive as a union, a battle
Chavez thought he had won with the
successful grape boycott and strike of
the 1960s.
By early this year Chaves had been
stripped of most of his union's member-
ship. From 250 pacts covering 55,000
workers in 1972 the union shrank to 20
contracts representing about 12,000 work-
ers. Only one California table grape pact
is left.
Growers, who struggled to avoid any
unionization before capitulating to Cha-
vez in 1970, swung sharply to the Team-
sters when contracts expired last year.
Today, according to organizer James
Hanson, the Teamsters have about 306
contracts in the 13 Western states cover-
ing a potential 80,000 workers during
peak summer harvest.
CHAVEZ BELIEVES his union will
prevail, and UFW organizers are ne-
gotiating with several growers. There
is picketing of table grape and fruit
ranches and strawberry fields, and Cha-
vez has been waging a sagging nation-
wide boycott of non-UFW California table
grapes and iceberg lettuce.
But the Teamsters, who concentrated
the past two years on ousting the UFW
from the vineyards and adding farm
workers to their ranks, are confident
their successes will continue.
Wages are not a significant issue. The
Teamsters' latest contract calls for a
$2.52 an hour minimum, one cent more
than the UFW's lone table grape pact.
MOST OF Chavez' trouble stems from
allegations of poor administration of hir-
ing halls the UFW set up to break the
power of some unscrupulous labor con-
tractors. Chavez concedes the validity
of some charges but says the problems
See CHAVEZ, Page 9
Chavez
Floodwaters
With no human hand to tend them, cattle nibble at foodstock in the oter compound of a homestead in flooded
ganj, a sub-division of Mymensingh, Bangladesh. Recently health authorities rushed 201 medical volunteers ani
of cholera vaccine to Mymensingh following reports of an out break of the disease due to the massive flooding in
Authorities said they were running short of medical supplies.
Congressiona eaders sen
VP suggestions to Ford
Gill won't face
criminal charge
Bentley says
IBy JEFF SORENSEN
Student Government Council (SG(C)
Attorney Thomas Bentley told The Daily
yesterday that he has "no plans" to file
criminal charges against controversial
former Council President Lee Gill for
alleged misuse of nearly $16,000 in SGC
funds.
Gill, who was Council president from
May 1973 to January 1974, is presently
being sued for $15,834 by incumbent SGC
President Carl Sandburg. The legal ac-
tion, filed last week in Washtenaw Cir-
suit Court, charges Gill opened accounts
at five local banks without authoriza-
tion and spent or failed to vouch for--
huge sum of SGC money.
"THIS IS strictly a civil suit," Bent.
ley said. "We're mainly interested in
restitution of the funds . . and an
accounting of all financial transactions.
"It's quite possible that some of the
money will be legitimately accounted for
by Gill-but since he has all the rec-
AP Pito ords, we can't be sure," he added.
Nevertheless, "No hearing date can
be set until Gill is served (with a copy
of the suit and a summons) . . . and
Kishore- someone must be sent to find him first,"
d batches Bentley explained.
the area. The SGC attorney declined to com-
ment on what efforts Council has made
so far to locate Gill, who left Ann Arbor
last winter after resigning as SGC
president.
IF CRIMINAL charges were pressed
against Gill, however, the task of find-
ing him would be up to the police-but
SGC officers appear reluctant to take
stch action.
Nevertheless, when a similar suit was
filed against Gill last March for $7,000
by the Council, Sandburg said, "There
ie presenta- is no question in my mind that this
ias (R-Md.), case is solid."
Hansen (R- SGC officials have never denied the
Rockefeller implication that the charges in the
SGC's complaint contain ample evidence
for criminal prosecution.
meanwhile, Gill presently resides in Chicago and
lush, saying is employed by the Illinois State Depart-
from Texas, ment of Corrections, according to de.
and oil com. partment supervisor Gary Abrahams.
tll fits the
GILL'S LAST known home address,
according to the plaintiffs, was at the
1k has been St. Clair Hotel in Chicago, but the
but added hotel's manager said Gill checked out
some two months ago and left no for-
that there warding address.
roters." Bentley said theres a definite pos-
t much en- sibility that Gill will return to Ann
Arbor if he is served, but added that
rvatives for if he then refuses to appear, the court
may render a "d e f a ult judgment"
against Gill,
WASHINGTON (MP)-Senate and House someone.
Republicans sent President Ford their
recommendations for vice president yes- thenomir
terday, as speculation continued to cen- House an
ter on former New York Gov. Nelson abling lb
Rockefeller and GOP Chairman George and Sent
Bush. Committe
House Republican Leader John Rhodes vestigatio
of Arizona and his Senate counterpart, recess.
Sen. Hugh Scott, of Pennsylvania hand-
ed over stacks of 121 and 33 envelopes FORMA
respectively to two presidential aides. begin ink
As Rho
MEANWHILE, a Ford associate said over, he
the selection process "is still at a very favored b
preliminary stage" with the President appeared
yet to determine the standards he will
apply in choosing a vice president. Scott,h
feller wa
The associate said he doesn't expect included
a decision "until the end of the week, water (R
at the earliest," adding Ford may wait
until early next week before nominating TWO 0
sional leaders have been told
nee will be selected before the
id Senate recess Aug. 23, en-
e House Judiciary Committee
ate Rules and Administration
e to 1 a u n c h preliminary in-
ns on the nominee during the
AL confirmation hearings would
September.
des handed the House choices
declined to say w h o m he
but said Rockefeller and Bush
to be the favorites.
iowever, reiterated that Rocke-
s his first choice but said he
Bush and Sen. Barry Gold-
-Ariz.) on his list.
ITHER GOP senators brought
their envelopes in during th
tion. Both Sen. Charles Mathi
a GOP liberal, and Clifford
Wyo.), a conservative, said
was on their list.
Sen. John Tower (R-Tex.),
reiterated his support for B
the former House member I
United Nations ambassadorr
pany executive "pretty wi
bill."
Tower said most of the tI
about Rockefeller and Bush
"The fact of the matter is
are more candidates than v
ie said he didn't detect
thusiasm among GOP conse
Rockefeller.
See FORD, Page 8
See BENTLEY, Page 8