California Court Injunction Lands Chavez in Prison

A Salinas, Calif., court sent Cesar Chavez to jail last Friday for refusing to call off the national boycott of non-United Farm Worker lettuce.

Bud Antle, a lettuce grower, and Dow Chemical Corp, jointly obtained an injunction a week ago against United Farm Workers' strike and boycott activities. Antle's contract with the Teamsters' Union provided the grounds for the injunction.

The court action leaves the boycott of non-UFW lettuce very shaky; 80 per cent of the lettuce growers contract with the Teamsters and all of them can presumably obtain similar injunctions against the boycott of their products.

If Chavez had agreed to call off the boycott Friday, he would have faced a $1000 fine and ten days in jail

To appeal the injunction, the United Farm Workers must put up $2.75 million as a bond to protect. Bud Antle's interests during the appeal. The union has said that the cost will prohibit it from appealing the decision.

Dow Chemical Corp, owns 17,000 acres of the Antle company's land.. The United Farm Workers have called for a boycott of all Dow Chemical products to protest the injunction.

The Antle Co, supplies 60 per cent of the lettuce used in the U.S. Army, according to the Dorchester Chapter of the United Farm Workers.