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Monterey County renames county holiday to Farmworker Appreciation Day; board calls for administrative updates
Summary
The board unanimously approved changing the county's Cesar Chavez Day holiday name to Farmworker Appreciation Day and directed staff to update county documents and agreements; supervisors framed the action as recognizing farmworkers’ contributions and broad social movement history.
The Monterey County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on March 24 to rename the county holiday previously listed as Cesar Chavez Day to "Farmworker Appreciation Day," aligning county observance with proposed state action and reflecting a countywide intent to honor farmworkers’ contributions.
Supervisor Alejo introduced the urgent referral, which asked the board to adopt the new name for the county holiday observed on March 31 and to direct staff to make necessary administrative changes. "This recognition also honors the generations of farm workers who courageously stood up to demand dignity, fair wages, and fair working and living conditions," Alejo said, urging alignment of the county's holiday name with broader recognition of farmworkers.
Board members expressed support for the name change while emphasizing the movement’s diversity and the broad set of organizers and workers who advanced labor rights over many decades. Several supervisors asked staff to carry out the renaming quickly and to update county collective bargaining agreements, internal documents and public materials in an expedited manner. The CAO confirmed staff would identify any follow‑up administrative changes needed to implement the holiday name change.
The motion passed by unanimous vote. The board did not change any pay or staffing policies at this meeting; staff will follow up on whether adjustments to county calendars, human‑resources documents and external communications are required and will report back as appropriate.
