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Vol. 79/No. 38 October 26, 2015
Farmworkers: We get respect,
dignity with the union
BY BETSEY STONE
AND GERARDO SÁNCHEZ
DELANO, Calif. — More than 100 veterans of the historic grape strike
that transformed the struggle of farmworkers in California were guests
of honor at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of that battle. The
Sept. 26 gathering at the United Farm Workers complex here drew 1,000
people.
“I was a striker and later a boycotter,” Tillie Ahumada told the
Militant. After going on strike in 1965, she and her husband traveled to
Montreal where they organized support for the international boycott of
table grapes that helped force the growers to sign contracts with the
union in 1970.
Adequate water, shade and bathroom facilities in the fields were key
demands along with higher pay and a union contract. “What broke the
camel’s back for me,” Ahumada said, “was when we were forced to work
with the plants still dripping with pesticide spray.”
Recognition was given to the 1,000 Filipino farmworkers from the
Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee who were the first to go on
strike over the growers’ refusal to grant higher wages. Members of the
mostly Latino National Farm Workers Association, led by Cesar Chavez,
joined the strike and in 1966 the two groups merged to form the United
Farm Workers union.
“The farmers had always played the Filipino and Mexican workers against
each other,” Lorraine Agtang, who at the age of 13 was one of the 1965
strikers along with her parents, told the gathering. “The UFW was
successful because the Mexicans and Filipinos united.”
“We ate together and met in the Filipino center,” said striker Mary
Herrera. “Unity was important.”
The daylong event included speeches by UFW President Arturo Rodriguez,
UFW co-founder Dolores Huerta, Robert Kennedy Jr., and activists in the
strike and boycott, as well as a display of photos.
“We made history,” said Roberto Bustos, who began working in the fields
at age 10. He was an organizer of the 340-mile march by farmworkers from
Delano to the state Capitol in Sacramento in 1966 that brought national
attention to the struggle.
Rodriguez introduced representatives from some of the ranches currently
organized by the UFW. They included workers at Dole Food, one of the
largest strawberry growers; D’Arrigo Brothers, a giant lettuce and
vegetable company; and workers who are part of the fight for a contract
at Gerawan Farming, a tree fruit and grape company that employs 5,000
workers.
“The most important thing for us is the respect and dignity we get with
a union contract,” said mushroom worker Rogelio Lona, secretary general
of the union ranch committee at Monterey Mushroom in Morgan Hill. Lona
described wage increases, dental, vision and medical plans won by
mushroom workers over decades of struggle, including a 96-day strike in
1981.
Tomato picker Florentino Reyes represented 170 workers who carried out a
two-day strike at Gargiulo Inc. in Firebaugh in 2012, winning union
recognition and a contract. Since 2012 workers at four companies with a
total of 1,500 employees, mostly tomato pickers, have won union
contracts in the San Joaquin Valley.
Related articles:
Lac-Mégantic action demands rail safety, condemns frame-up
Autoworkers’ rejection of Fiat two-tier deal forces new offer
Solidarity rally in Chicago backs Quebec safety fight
On the Picket Line
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