The workers, who are members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union Local 186-D, were locked out by the company last July. The lockout lasted more than seven months, making it the longest in California history. The Krug winery is the oldest in the Napa Valley and the last that is unionized.

The Krug bosses went after the 40 cellar workers after they rejected a concession contract that would have cut pay for some jobs and eliminated job classifications. The new three-year contract contains no wage cuts and will limit the winery's use of nonunion labor. Workers overwhelmingly rejected previous settlement offers by the company in August and January.

"I don't think anybody's happy," said cellar worker Kenny Drost, who noted that the unionists had nearly exhausted their unemployment benefits.

Many saw the struggle as an important way to defend immigrant rights. Most workers at the winery, and in the Napa wine industry, are originally from Mexico. "There are a lot of people coming into this country willing to work for eight-something an hour," said Frank Espinoza, who has worked at Krug for 42 years. "How are our children going to be able to survive on $8 an hour?"

Bill Kalman is a member of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 120.  
 
 
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