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Farmers Rights In The 1940s: The Farm Workers Movement

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Although fighting for farmers’ rights has been done in the past, the Farm Workers Movement in the 1940s was the peak of farm workers’ rights. In 1964 the Bracero Program ended, giving farmers a chance to form a union. As reported by the PBS documentary, Filipino farm workers sought an opportunity to strike in the Coachella area where grapes harvest fast. The strike was over in one week and growers gave in to the demand of a wage of $1.40. However, the fight was not that easy. It would take about five years for the United Farm Workers to initiate change. Caesar Chavez, the leader of the United Farm Workers admired Martin Luther King and Gandhi method’s of non violence in which he used himself. The United Farm Workers staged strikes in
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There were contracts signed in 1966 but the strikes still went on for a few more years. Chaves argument with grape growers for better pay grades and working conditions lasted for 4 years. Many growers signed contracts that agreed to these terms. Chavez used nonviolent means to bring attention to the bad working conditions of farmers. These strikes won public relations battles but winning winning the labor relations fight proved to be more difficult.

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The boycotting went on for years, and most farmworkers lost their jobs, but by the summer of 1970, the United Farm Workers had won contracts with most of California’s growers (Chicago Museum). It took the growers 5 years to finally give in; the level of stubbornness these growers had was impeccable, 5 years to realize that their first line of cheap labor was going away and they were losing consumers and money by the day. PBS interviewed one grower who said that the farmworkers were in this harsh situation because they chose to be, that since they chose this line of work knowing the consequences they should also be okay with it, he even went as far as to say that the farmworkers were pleased and happy (PBS). The former director of Wasco Farm Labor Camp, C.V. Roberts, was also interviewed at the time of the documentary, and when asked what he thought about the UFW, his response was clear,

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The Delano Grape and Strike and boycott had an impact on the farmworker movement and on American society more broadly. The strike and boycott brought national attention to the plight of farmworkers, and they helped to raise awareness about the need for better working conditions and protections for agricultural laborers. The movement inspired other workers and activists to fight for their rights, and it helped to pave the way for the creation of labor laws and regulations that improved working conditions for many Americans. In addition to its impact on the labor movement, the Delano Grape Strike and boycott also had important cultural and social implications.

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Cesar Chavez History Day Project One Mexican American farm worker dedicated his days to better the lives of his people, his name was Cesar Chavez. Horrendous treatment of farmworkers caused Chavez to take a stand for what he believed in, for no one should be treated poorly because of race or social class. During Chavez’s life, he organized peaceful protests, boycotts, as well as participated in a historic 36 day "Fast for life". Chavez not only changed the working rights for farm workers but subsequently gave dignity to the working class of America. The legacy that Cesar Chavez left behind was that he became the most important leader of the Latino people in the United States, and he founded the still standing United Farmworkers of America.

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It also highlights the need for better treatment and rights for farmworkers. Additionally, after the long-lasting efforts of Chavez in 1975 the Agricultural Labor Relations became a law in California. “Farmworkers are protected by union contracts, we have made progress in overcoming child labor, in overcoming miserable wages and working conditions, in overcoming sexual harassment of women workers, in overcoming discrimination in employment, in overcoming dangerous pesticides” (Chavez lines 106-109). This quote shows the improvement in farmworkers conditions due to union contracts, these advancements include protection against miserable wages, working conditions, sexual harassment of woman workers and in overcoming dangerous pesticides along with significantly more injustices farmworkers had faced on their environmental working conditions. Unions have played a crucial role in achieving these positive changes for farmworkers.

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Cesar Chavez fought for farm workers rights in the field. Cesar’s motto “ Si Se Puede” motivated people to keep fighting after his death. He fought for farm workers because he didn't like they way farm owners were treating them. He did that by boycotting grapes, protesting, strikes, hosting marches and fasts. The author wrote,” The coming years would bring much more adversity: Strikes and boycotts, marches and fasts, victories and defeats.”

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Mexican-American Cesar Chavez (1927-1993) is known as an American farm worker, a prominent union leader, labor organizer, and a civil rights activist. By having much experience since he was a migrant worker when he was very young, Chavez with another co-founder created The National Farm Workers Association in 1962 that later became United Farm Workers. As a union leader, his union and the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee made their first strike against grape growers in California. Having been through many hardships as a migrant farm worker, the Latino American civil rights activist led marches, called for boycotts, and made strikes to raise and recover conditions for farm workers. His contributions led to numerous improvements for

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Organizing the farmworkers was the first step, then came the demands for wage increase and better working conditions and when they realized that they were not being taken seriously then came the strikes. In the beginning there were small strikes, but as a union they started to get bigger and soon enough they were boycotting, picketing stores, and getting the consumers involved (Chicago Museum). Throughout this time there was only Chicano (Mexican-American) farmworkers in the UFW but they were quickly joined by farmworkers from different races and ethnic groups. In 1965 the Filipino members of the Agricultural Workers organizing committee and the UFW joined forces to produce a nationwide grape boycott (Chicago Museum), one of history’s

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Throughout history, the responsibilities of men have changed. Agriculture, for the most part, is and has been a male dominated profession. However, advances in technology have completely changed many of the tasks and responsibilities farming. The 1930’s was a difficult time for all people in the, but it was a devastating time for farmers.

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After the farmworkers movement in the 1960’s that ended with the growers finally sign the union contracts, which granted the workers better pay, life benefits, and protection. However, this is not what really happened the farmworkers were still treated badly, had unfair wages, bad living and working conditions, and did not even had their basic human rights. Farmworkers were treated like slaves, “The compound was fenced with barbed wire and patrolled by bosses on all-terrain vehicles. If the couple got beyond the gates, local police could arrest them and bring them back”( Marosi). The farmworkers issues weren’t only unfair wages or immigration problem, it was more than that it was a human rights issue.

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The goal of the movement was to allow workers to unionize and would eventually reach that goal. The campaign, lead by a man named Cesar Chavez, was non-violent which was inspired by the march of Martin Luther King and Ghandi. The drive for change has affected our culture, society, and the outcome of how

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972 Words | 4 Pages

In 1962, Cesar Chavez, an organizer for the Community Service Organization and the son of Chicano farm workers, formed the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA). Chavez left the CSO because it refused to focus its efforts on organizing farm workers. Chavez wanted to organize workers and create an effective union to fight for farm worker rights. Chavez and his co-founder, Dolores Huerta, attempted to organize workers through strikes that proved effective but did not lead to a union

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The erosion of soil and drought was finally recognized as dangerous in the 1930s. Many struggling farmers in the eastern half of the country struggled to make a living due to crops failing because of the weather. Farmers lost their home or farm because they were unable to pay their mortgages. In an attempt to make more money, they would plant more crops, especially wheat. However, after the stock market crash of 1929, investors lost more than four billion dollars, and people lost their jobs and money; the nation was in an economic depression.

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During the 1930’s American lives were migrant and nomadic; for example, agricultural workers live this lifestyle. They would move from farm to farm every couple of months or so, depending on the situation. This wouldn’t be so depressing if they had a plane to take them from place to place, a home to come back to after a while. However, in the 1930’s more often than not, workers walked on foot with no permanent resistance to their next job, similar to the man in the image above.

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Farming In The 1960s Think about what you eat, it was probably grown out west, planted and harvested by huge machinery of the 21st century. Technology that most people wouldn’t never understand how to run or what it did. How ever it wasn't always like this. There was a time when it was all simpler. Back when anyone could drive a simple tractor and run a set of plows.

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