United Farm Workers are stopping in Manteca on Friday as part of a 335-mile march from Delano to Sacramento.
It’s part of a bid to convince Gov. Gavin. Newsom to sign legislation expanding voting options for union representation for farmworkers by allowing them to choose if they want to vote at a physical location, or vote by mailing or dropping off a representation ballot card to the Agricultural Labor Relations Board office.
Farmworkers would be able to receive assistance in filling out and returning their representation ballot card as long as the person assisting them co-signs it, and it is returned to the ALRB office in a sealed and signed envelope.
Newsom vetoed similar legislation last year.
The UFW on its website pointed out the hypocrisy of Newsom’s veto noting the ability to vote in such a manner employed the same voting options the governor used to successfully combat the attempts to recall him in September 2021.
Dubbed the Agricultural Relations Voting Choice Act, Assembly Bill 2128 is designed to provide more choices to farm workers to allow them to vote free from intimidation.
The march will end on Friday, Aug. 26, with a rally in Sacramento.
It is the same day that Newsom declared to be observed as California Farm Worker Appreciation Day.
A committee has been formed in each town — including Manteca — to host the marchers.
They start each day with a blessing and are supplied food and water from local residents who also organize housing for the marchers.
The effort is similar to the 1966 Grape Boycott aimed at forcing vineyard owners to negotiate with the union and/or other labor group. The 1966 effort and march was headed up by UFW founder Cesar Chavez. That route also included an overnight stop in Manteca.
Hundreds of marchers in 1966 camped out in Southside Park just southwest of downtown Manteca.
Marchers will arrive in Manteca Friday from Modesto.
They will depart Manteca for Stockton on Saturday.
Other stops before Sacramento include Lodi, Galt, Walnut Grove, Elk Grove and then Sacramento.
They will march to the State Capitol on Friday, Aug. 26, 24 days and 335 miles after leaving Delano.
For more information go to ufwfoundation.org or ufw.org.
Breitenbucher was part
of effort to secure the
120 Bypass for Manteca
In the apple doesn’t follow far from the tree department, Councilman Dave Breitenbucher in a way is following in his father’s footsteps in terms of working toward a better Manteca.
It was 60 years ago this month that Breitenbucher’s father Oscar was chairman of the Manteca Chamber of Commerce Highway Committee that passed a resolution to get the ball rolling on what would become a grassroots movement to secure the 120 Bypass.
To those who think today’s commute backups on the 120 Bypass are insane, it was a walk in the park compared to what Manteca residents had to endure in the 1960s and early 1970s.
While there was 13,825 residents in Manteca in 1980 or just less less than a fifth of its current population, the traffic flow was non-stop on Friday late afternoons and evenings and Sunday afternoons and evenings as Bay Area residents travelled to and from the Sierra.
Traffic routinely backed up for 2 to 5 miles trying to snake through Manteca on Yosemite Avenue that doubled as Highway 120.
City officials had key intersections that lacked traffic signals timed to see how often a local motorist could cross or turn left onto Yosemite Avenue.
At peak periods the time ran three to five minutes per car.
Breitenbucher, who is unposed in seeking a second term on the City Council on Nov. 8 representing District 3, has been a consistent volunteer working with Inner City Action in a bid to get homeless off the streets.
He is also the Sierra High swim coach.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
