Thank you for purchasing Guardian Vital and for being part of this important initiative.
As a consumer you’ve taken a significant step at ensuring that essential farm worker’s are not only recognized for their work, but are also treated in a dignified manner. You have supported a wine producer who is a part of a collective dedicated to high road labor practices which promises safe work conditions, fair wages, and organic practices that are environmentally friendly. This page will be a hub for consumers, wine producers, farmers, workers, and the general public to be able to engage and advocate for vineyard workers.
Join our list of conscious wine producers!
#1. Camins 2 Dreams (purchase your bottles here)
#2. Margins Wine (purchase your bottles here)
#3. Will you be next?
Background
The Vinguard and Líderes Campesinas collaborated on a wine label to draw attention to vineyard workers/stewards. Those who pick grapes are often in the shadows, are subjected to hazardous working conditions, and do not have job security or opportunities for advancement in the wine industry. The Guardian Vital label will be adopted by wineries for special cuvées. A percentage of sales from the cuvée will benefit Líderes Campesinas, an organization whose mission is to strengthen the leadership of farmworker women and youth so that they can be agents of economic, social, and political change and ensure their human rights. The participating wineries must guarantee that workers whose labor goes into making their wines have safe workspaces, are paid fairly, and are treated with dignity, respect, and potential.
Drawing and Design Collaboration by Oscar Lopez Guerrero (Art drawing), Uriel Contreras (Logo), Emilio Huerta (Set up), Irene De Barraicua (Concept) as well as feedback from Líderes Campesinas and The Vinguard’s staff and board.
Requirements to receive the Guardian Vital label.
- Farming practices that don’t employ synthetic pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, or fertilizers.
- Not asking workers to work in an evacuation zone.
- Provide hazard pay to workers of 1.5 times the hourly pay rate when the air quality index is 150 or higher or other conditions threaten worker safety.
- Provide N95 respirators when the air quality index is 150 or higher.
- Providing clean water and bathrooms at all times to vineyard workers
- Mandating safety training or providing safety instructions for workers in preferred languages.
- Providing access to emergency response resources.
- Adequate lighting and safety measures for nighttime harvesting.
- Paying a living wage using the MIT Living Wage Calculator.
- Offering full-time employees paid sick days.
- Providing access to health care resources and covering all medical costs to workers injured on the job.
- Complying with legally required rest and meal breaks.
- Respecting workers’ rights to organize and unionize.
- Providing and facilitating opportunities for advancement.