Times Staff Writer A groundbreaking partnership between the United Farm Workers and an upscale rose producer has increased productivity, cut workers' compensation claims and lifted the morale of hundreds of field workers. Now, it's even yielded a rose. Officials and union members at the Bend, Ore.-based company hope the rose developed in California's Central Valley will help open the door to the booming U.S. Latino market, which is underrepresented in the company's customer base.
More roses mean more jobs.
In an unusual mix of religion and marketing, the rose was unveiled Thursday at Our Lady of Angels Church in downtown Los Angeles and blessed by Cardinal Roger Mahony. Relations weren't always so rosy, however. The dispute was heated and bitter. But when workers overwhelmingly voted for the union in 1995, Chief Executive Bill Williams offered to become a partner rather than an adversary. Within three months, workers had their first contract, an unusually speedy turnaround.