UFCW 770 Good Jobs Fair Provides Job Opportunities & Resources to Workers As Farmer John Closes Operations in Vernon

Numerous resources to obtain assistance with housing, transportation, food, unemployment and healthcare benefits as well as union training programs and new union career opportunities were offered to dozens of people at the Good Jobs Fair put together by UFCW 770 in partnership with the Hospitality Training Academy, Apprenticeship Readiness Fund, EDD, and several local agencies to help workers transition to new jobs as the Farmer John pork processing plant closes its operations in Vernon.

The Good Jobs Fair is the first of a series of one-stop job resource events undertaken by the Local 770 Workforce Rapid Response program to assist packinghouse workers laid off by Farmer John. About 50 workers and their families benefited from this first job fair.

Job opportunities were offered by Albertsons, Gelson’s and Super A, as well as Pontrelli & Laricchia and Rogers Poultry. The Hospitality Training Academy and Building Trades presented different free union training and apprenticeship programs while the California Employment Development Department (EDD) made its job services available.

Our union wants to make sure these workers transition to other good jobs in the future and not be lost in an unemployment system, with no career path at the end.

“I feel supported because I know that the union is giving us the assistance to be able to find a new good job with better wages,” said Elodia Linares who worked as a food packer for 14 years. “I thank all the organizers who made this possible.”

The UFCW 770 Workers’ Center Workforce Rapid Response program is committed to empowering packinghouse workers. Local 770 President Kathy Finn said, “you will always have a space in the Worker Center. We are expanding the services we provide to all workers to build a movement for good union jobs.”

The first Good Jobs Fair was held at the Salt Lake Park in Huntington Park and future job fairs will be scheduled in the near future to assist workers as the Farmer John plant closes its operations in Vernon.