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<br />SignO]lSanDicgo.colll > News> Special Reports u Fuml \vorkcrs fear water sale could cost jobs <br /> <br />Slg,~,2.'l~~!~~.com J <br /> <br />Page I of2 <br /> <br />;~~ <br /> <br />Home 1 News I Todoy's Paper l Sports"1~ Oossified, ~t Shopping . -1ft Servicfl"lij;i Entertainment t411l Visitor Info .J:.~ <br /> <br />"OveItt$lng Info AbQut us Contact Us F~edback Sltundcx Pnvacy J'OHty <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />News <br /> <br />W~r on Terror <br />Metro <br />North County <br />California <br />Ndlion <br />....ulco <br />World <br />Busmess <br />BiotechnOlogy <br />Technology <br />Science <br />Pollt;c~ <br />MlIltary <br />Education <br />Tr.vel <br />Solutions <br />Special Reports <br />Feature~ <br />Obituaries <br />Weather <br /> <br />Forums <br /> <br />Opinion <br />Columnists <br />U.T DillIy Paper <br />U.T EmaIJ Edition <br />Archives <br /> <br />Farm workers fear water sale could cost <br />jobs <br /> <br />By Michael Gardner <br />COPLEY NEWS SERVICE <br /> <br />II is a morning ritual for many <br />farm workers like Antonio PaC1- <br />und Felix Baragas. They straggle <br />in from temporary shelters und <br />ride the labor bus to fields where <br />they toil for $6.75 an hour. <br />Precious time off is whiled away <br />at the Oonut Avenue coffee shop <br />here. <br /> <br /> <br />CAI.EXICO - They gather on <br />appointed corners long before <br />dawn, hoping a bus will stop, but <br />not knowing where it could take <br />them. <br /> <br />PEGGY PEAT lIE I Umon-TnDune <br />Fell.... Baragas (left) and AntonIO P...ez relalle <br />lit the end ota day worlunl,l If'I the fields of <br />the Imperial Valley. <br /> <br />But e\'en this meager existence is threatencd, the laborers say, if <br />Imperial Valley farmers idle fields to free \vater for sale to the San <br />Diego region. <br /> <br />The proposed water transfer is the <br />talk of the \'alley, whether in the <br />plush members-only Stockmen's <br />Club in Brawley or at break time in <br />the vegetable ficlds. <br /> <br />Water <br />Pressure <br /> <br />"There arc a lot of people working in <br />the farms. There \\;11 be lost jobs for <br />c\'cl)"body," Baf<lgas says through an <br />interpreter. <br /> <br />Adds Paez: ''It's going to affect <br />everyone here." <br /> <br />". <br /> <br />The impact on jobs is unclear. <br /> <br />. Imperial's decision <br />. farJ11_workers fear_ water <br />sale could cost jobs <br />. A_ prominent family is torn <br />by the battle over water <br />. Valley~s elders recall__how <br />water_made valley bloom <br /> <br />Of the 460,000 acres of farms in <br />Imperial County, only about 27,000 <br />would be idled at the peak of thc <br />proposed transfer. And that \'..-ould he <br />for just a few years until more <br /> <br />htlp://www.signonsandiego.com/newsfrcports/watcr/20021208-9999_workcrs.hlml <br /> <br />(/py;; <br />,.7 rr,)Jrrl'/(" <br />I r( <br /> <br />~ir <br /> <br /> <br />()nnmm. <br /> <br />Yellow Pages <br /> <br />Bars & Clubs <br />BuSiness Services <br />Computers <br />Education <br />Health & Beauty <br />Home & Garden <br />Hotels <br />Restllurllnts <br />Shopping <br />Trllvel <br /> <br />Search by <br />Company Name: <br />I ~ <br /> <br />Local Guides <br /> <br />c.~ <br />Coupons <br />Eldercare <br />financial Guide <br />Health <br />Homes <br />Jobs <br />LegatGulde <br />Shopping <br /> <br />12/10/02 <br />