Stanford Union Sues University

The United Stanford Workers (USW) have filed a lawsuit against Stanford University and Webb Ranch, charging the school with unfair labor practices against Mexican employees of the ranch, officials said last week.

Because the ranch is on land leased from Stanford, the university is "liable for the exploitation of the Mexican workers," USW representative Reuban Serna charged last week.

Two weeks ago, a state official visited the ranch to investigate the complaints of the workers and found several violations of California health codes, university lawyer Michael Vartain said.

The USW filed papers with the state's Agriculture and Labor Relations Board two weeks ago after the ranch workers, complaining of poor labor and housing conditions, asked the USW help them organize, Serna said.

Stanford has informed the management of Webb Ranch that it must correct housing deficiencies like ill-maintained, unheated and overcrowded cabins, Vartain said. But he added that these instructions do not mean the university assumes legal responsibility for the conditions.

"We understand that the ranch is moving diligently" in its efforts to remedy the conditions, Vartain said. But USW President Alan Wagner said that Webb Ranch has consistently stalled talks designed to plan the improvement of housing conditions.

The papers filed by the USW give the union the right to a list of all Webb Ranch employees, Serna said. But he added that USW representatives found the list they were given to be incomplete.

The list prepared by the ranch's management included only 41 names, though USW figures indicate there are 50 to 60 employees, Serna said. According to the Stanford Daily, the USW reported last month that 49 ranch workers had signed cards in support of unionization.

At least 46 employees must be working if a vote is to be held, Serna said. He added that the USW believes that the ranch is withholding some names to prevent an election from taking place, as well as denying work to more than 10 employees because of their involvement in the unionization proces.

Workers will probably have to wait another month before the Agriculture and Labor Relations Board issues its decision on whether or not Stanford and Webb Ranch are co-employers, as the USW contends, Wagner said last week.