Imperial Valley press., 1934-02-14
CAL|PATA|A'S
PEA STRIKE
IN DEADLOCK
Supervisors, Growers And
Workers In Conference But
Unable To Reach Agreement,
COMPROMISE NOT ACCEPTED
Offer Of Cent And Quarter Per
Pound Rejected With Cent
And Half Demand.

A deadlock in the negotiations
between strikers and growers in the
Calipatrla area obtained at noon to-
day according to word received here
and row both sides are marking
time in the hope that the other
might weaken.
These negotiations we're under
taken at meeting held in Calipat-
liza last night and this morning pre-
sided over by B. M Graham. chair
man of the county board of super
VisorS. Committees of workers and
growers were selected and these met
this morning in an effort to
straighten out matters. The growers
were represented by R. w. Ware, w.
G. Wilkinson and l.. L. Lyerly while
the workers committee was COM
posed of o. L. Mort, A. j. Mulligan,
Frank Ricks and j. Flores.
The workers stated as the main
plank in their platform a demand
tor a cent and half per pound for
picking the peas. After considering
this for short time the growers
countered with an offer of cent
and quarter which was flatly re
fused by the workers.
Following the meeting this morn-
ing, it was learned, a motorcade of
about $50 automobiles filled with
striking workers staged a parade in
Calipatria and then started out into
the surrounding country. No dis
turbanceS were reported and no acts
OF violence were attempted on the
part of the strikers.
The growers say that on the basis
of the present market prices for
peas in New York and other centerS,
1t is impossible to meet the de-
mands of the strikers for a cent and
a half per pound.
Some Return To Work
Meanwhile some men have gone
back to work in the fields but what
will happen to the market here with
the strike tying up most of the
workers is difficult to estimate, it
was said.
Without any charges placed
against them, three men are in the
county jail, arrested yesterday near
Calipatria for their activities in the
strike. Mearl Stockmyer and w. F..
Martin were brought to the county
Jail early in the day while Fred
Garcia was arrested later in the af-
tcrnoon. They will be held pending
future developments in the strike.
This morning several deputies
were sent to the threatened areas,
but no trouble was anticipated as
the strike agitators at present seem
satisfied to confine their activities
to picketing the fields and endea-
voring to persuade those who are
willing to work to stop.
Initiative in this movement TO
settle the strike was taken at a
meeting of the supervisors yesterday
afternoon when the following reso-
luton was unanimously adopted by
the board:
I'm an endeavor to reach an
agreement between the workers and
growers in the pea industry of I'm
perial Valley it is suggested by the
board of supervisors cf Imperial
county that the workers in the pea
fields select from the 16 Or more
camps one man from each camp
and that these meE select from
their group three men who have
picked peas in Imperial Valley for
not less than the last two seasons,
to meet with the chairman of the
board of supervisors in an endea-
vor to arbitrate the differences now
existing between the growers and
workers"