Cesar Chavez and the Farm Labor Movement: Civil Rights and Environmental Justice

Cesar Chavez and the Cesar Chavez and the Farm Labor Movement: Farm Labor Movement:

Civil Rights and Civil Rights and Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justice

I. Rachel Carson, I. Rachel Carson, Silent SpringSilent Spring, , and the Environmental Movementand the Environmental Movement

WWII Chlorinated Hydrocarbons• DDT: dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane• Dieldrin• Heptachlor

• Pounds of chemicals sold in US

• 1947: 124,259,000

• 1960: 637,666,000

• 2000: 1.1 Billion (1991: export 390 million)

"Can anyone believe it is possible to lay down such a barrage of poisons on the surface of the earth without making it unfit for all life?"

Rachel Carson

1962 Silent Spring1962 Silent Spring

• Conservation Environmentalism

1) Chemicals stored in tissue

2) Chemicals kill years later

3) Americans far too careless

4) Resistance

II. Delano, CAII. Delano, CA

Sharp division landowners (white) Sharp division landowners (white) and workers (Filipino, Chinese, and workers (Filipino, Chinese, Mexican, Japanese)Mexican, Japanese)

III. Highly Mobile and Politically III. Highly Mobile and Politically Vulnerable: Migrant Workers, Vulnerable: Migrant Workers,

Braceros, and Illegal Braceros, and Illegal ImmigrantsImmigrants

Difficulties:Difficulties:

1)1) Hard to organize: mobile + Hard to organize: mobile + vulnerable, landowners powerfulvulnerable, landowners powerful

2)2) Bracero Program: exploitative, Bracero Program: exploitative, encouraged illegalsencouraged illegals

3)3) Wagner Act exemption: S + W Wagner Act exemption: S + W Dems, blacks and MexicansDems, blacks and Mexicans

IV. Cesar Chavez: Life and IV. Cesar Chavez: Life and BackgoundBackgound

A. Early Years as A. Early Years as Migrant WorkerMigrant Worker

b. 1927; farm sold b. 1927; farm sold 19381938 migrant migrant

30+ schools, 30+ schools, stopped at age 14, stopped at age 14, 88thth grade grade

B. San Joaquin Valley: A Little B. San Joaquin Valley: A Little Bit of Dixie in CaliforniaBit of Dixie in California

““No Dogs or No Dogs or Mexicans Allowed”Mexicans Allowed”

1943: CC kicked 1943: CC kicked from theaterfrom theater begins to protestbegins to protest

Joins National Farm Joins National Farm Labor UnionLabor Union

C. Community Services C. Community Services OrganizationOrganization

CSO provided social services:CSO provided social services: Voter registration drivesVoter registration drives Immigration papersImmigration papers Police brutalityPolice brutality Organize unionsOrganize unions

CC works for 10 CC works for 10 years in CSO in CA years in CSO in CA and AZand AZ

Growing Growing uncomfortable: too uncomfortable: too moderate with moderate with influx urban liberalsinflux urban liberals

1962: plan for 1962: plan for massive union massive union effort rejectedeffort rejected

D. CC Leaves CSOD. CC Leaves CSO NFWA NFWA

$1200 founds National Farm Workers $1200 founds National Farm Workers AssociationAssociation

Credit unionsCredit unions Represent workersRepresent workers 1964-65: small wage gains1964-65: small wage gains Not yet ready for full assault Not yet ready for full assault

V. 1965: The Delano Strike and V. 1965: The Delano Strike and Grape BoycottGrape Boycott

Spring ’65: Filipino union outside Spring ’65: Filipino union outside LALA negotiate increase to $1.40/hr negotiate increase to $1.40/hr

Delano paid only $1.20Delano paid only $1.20 Filipinos Filipinos demand same paydemand same pay strike strike

Would NFWA go on strike?Would NFWA go on strike?– Only $100 in strike fundOnly $100 in strike fund– If don’t join will shatter credibilityIf don’t join will shatter credibility

Unanimous voteUnanimous vote Owners attempt to Owners attempt to

break strike: policebreak strike: police Seem outmatched, Seem outmatched,

but CC and CRMbut CC and CRM

Walter Reuther Walter Reuther (UAW) brings (UAW) brings $10,000 and $10,000 and promises $5,000 per promises $5,000 per monthmonth

1965 US Senate 1965 US Senate investigation investigation

1966: Mexican and 1966: Mexican and Filipino unions Filipino unions merge to form UFW merge to form UFW (United Farm (United Farm Workers)Workers)

CC bold strategy: CC bold strategy: appeal to American appeal to American people: grape people: grape boycottboycott

Follow grapes to Follow grapes to stores and stores and distribution distribution centerscenters picket picket– Local unions join and Local unions join and

refuse to handle refuse to handle “hot grapes”“hot grapes”

April 6, 1966: large Delano grape April 6, 1966: large Delano grape grower cavesgrower caves

Summer ’69: holdouts cave from Summer ’69: holdouts cave from bankruptcybankruptcy

CC made more demands as strike CC made more demands as strike progressed:progressed:

Regulation of pesticidesRegulation of pesticides Sept ’69: testifies to Senate that 80% Sept ’69: testifies to Senate that 80%

US farm workers suffer health US farm workers suffer health problemsproblems

VI. TodayVI. Today

UFW weakerUFW weaker Conditions nearly Conditions nearly

identical to pre-unionidentical to pre-union

Cancer zones, Cancer zones, environmental environmental discriminationdiscrimination

Slavery in FloridaSlavery in Florida– Coyotes/polleros and Coyotes/polleros and

pollospollos