,EI· Malc:riado I' The Voice of the Farm Worker II
SEPTEMBER 1, 1970 VOLUME IV NUMBER 6 : DELANO, CALIFORNIA
1- 10,000 California farm workers in general strike I See pages 3 ~n~_ 6]
1 \ ~~-----":":-----"-'------...i:~_~~~,-":--_""",,,-~__~_- ) 2/EL MALCRIADO EDITORIAL - - SALINAS AND SANTA MARIA: violence, greed and·stupi.dity "Okay, boys, go get him!" grower associations who have bought and sold farm It sounds like a line from a john Wayne movie, workers like chattels for decades. doesn't it? The words were uttered by a major And violence was once again declared the law grower in the Salinas Valley who ordered his goons of the valley, when the :growers held the Teamsters to attack jerry Cohen, UFWOC's attorney, Venus-' union to their phoney sweetheart contracts, against tiano Olguin, a UFWOC organizer, and jacques Levy, the will of the workers. Violence always seems to a UPI reporter. Another UFWOC organizer, Raul be a travelling companion of greed, selfishness, Santiago, was attacked at the Point Sal Ranch in and stupidity. ---Selfishness, because the large Santa Maria. conglomerates which exploit campesinos allover Cohen spent several days in a Salinas hospi the world are now feasting on the sweat of lettuce tal from the brain concussion he received while pickers who want their own union in Salinas and investigating a sit-in strike at the Handen ranch Sarita Maria. ---Stupidity, because the growers in the Salinas Valley. once again would rather see their produce rot than Violence was the growers' response to the strike settle with the farm wu. kers. vote of more than 6,000 farm workers who voted Is an enlightenment possible? Only time will with their feet not to support company unionism tell. And in Salinas and Santa Maria, time is or the unchecked power of the vegetable growers running out! in the Salinas Valley. But the violence of the growers did not start with the attack on the three men at the Hanser. Ranch. The violence began long ago, when growers UFW OC attorney resisted several attempts of farm workers to or jerry Cohen, one ganize for their own protection and self-defense. of four attacked Violence was written into the bylaws of the various by grower goons.
IN THIS ISSUE: Largest farm worker strike in U.S. history: Cover drawing and drawing page 3 Salinas page 6 by Andy Zermeno. photos pages 3~ 4~ 5~ page 6 Don Sotoco to El Malcriado 7~ 8~ 9~ Inter-Harvest signs and 10 by Cris page 7 Sanchez. page 8 Border Patrol raids
EL NALCRIADO Nor. and aor. p.op1. ar. findinc out tbat , P.O. lOX 130 .ub.cription to EL MALCIIADO 1. the b••t ,••, EL MALCRIADo. The Voice 01 ... F...m DELAHQ, CA to k••p up with the f.ra work.r .tru"l•• Worker, Is publ1.~ed- monlllly by 1Ile LNI11!D 9i2lS' Don't b. 1.ft out··•••• 1. thl. coupo. t ...,1 FARM WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITI'EB, AFL-CIO. Subscrtpt10ns In lIle UUllOd S...... FILL OUT THIS CAID AND SEND IT ,WITH U.SO TO THE AlOft ADD"SS Its posses.lons are $3.50 per year, and tOl'eip, FOR A ONE, YEAR SUISCRIPTION TO EL MALCRIADO, Includlng Canada and MexIco, US $5.00. Editorial and business offiCes,. located at .he NAME· _ northwest corner of Garces H..l&bway aDd MItt... Avenue. Delano, California. ADDRESS· Address all correoponclot>o
<, 1/ .'?~., ~"" ~ ~ ~ ten Itil~ thousand j
Q/:'Iv. ~c farm workers on strike ~In California
• Over 10,000 farm workers are (concerning their jurisdictional • Herb Fleming, president of the now on strike in five California dispute) on August 12th with the Grower-Shipper Vegetable Associa counties: Monterey, San Benito, help of the Catholic Bishops Farm tion had announced on August 21: Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, and Labor Committee, represented by "We have negotiated proper and northern Santa Barbara counties. Monsignor George Higgins. In gen legal contracts with the Teamster Most of these farm workers have eral, the agreement reads that the union. They have assured us that signed authorization cards for Teamsters will have jurisdic they will honor these contracts, UFWOC in recent weeks. Their tion over canneries, frozen food and we intend to do the same." demands for a strike were denied processing plants, warehouses, and repeatedly as UFWOC granted the truck drivers. UFWOC will or 4,000 attend growers a six day, then a ten day ganize all field workers. moratorium. SaHnas workers demand strike meeting growers use • Four thousand workers as Teamsters to a strike sembled on the grounds of Hartnell College to attend Catholic mass fight Chavez .The ten day moratorium came and unanimously express their de to an end Saturday, August 22. On sire to begin the strike the fol • After failing to get the alle the next day, angry farm workers lOWing day, August 24. The presi giance of the workers, growers be shouted that they would walk Out dent of each ranch committee spoke gan to intimidate workers into sign on strike the follOWing Monday. for his fellow workers. Some of ing Teamster authorization cards. Monsignor Higgins announced to the the workers gave short speeches. Several workers were fired from the strikers that the growers were di Raul Castillo, a lettuce worker, FreshPict Produce Company and vided among themselves but agreed said the following: "Fellow campe other ranches for refusing to work to reject UFWOC and hold the sinos, we are here to show the to under the sweetheart contract. Teamsters the contracts which world our nonconformity -- to do • UFWOC had reached an agree had been signed in the latter part ment with the Teamsters Union of July. continued on next page 4/EL MALCRIADO salinas strike:
our part to uplift the life of our farm worker families. They live in poverty in this country which is th~ number one farming country in the world." Castillo made re ference to the martyrs of Chicago of 1886 who gave their lives for the labor movement. He also referred to the agrarian heroes of Mexico and added: "Outside of this union the farm worker will never really be recognized as a human being. Viva la Huelga! Viva Cesar Chavez! Vivan los Me xicanos! Vivan los campesinos!
"the union is .our strength,' brothers." • Another farm worker, Jose Luis Castro, representing the lettuce cut ters of the R. T. England Company said: "In view of the fact that photographs on this page: the growers have done nothing du TOP: Workers using the ring the moratorium we gave them, short-handled hoe thin there is no other thing to do but lettuce at the Bud Antle strike. We can't forget that the Ranch. union is our strength, brothers - MIDDLE: At Sunday's and there is no obstacle that we strike rally~ farm workers cannot overcome .as long as we have protest high rental rates the suppOrt of our leader,. Cesar in the migrant camps of Ghavez. Que Viva La Huelga! the Bruce Church Ranch. BOTTOM: The 2nd of August finds farm workers march "...growers are ing to Salinas. angry at us photographs opposite ,page: TOP LEFT: A worker at the for not selling Driscoll Strawberry Ranch~ ourselves out." whose employees voted unanimously to join UFWOC . • Antonio Sagredo, another lettuce TOP RIGHT: The Bud Antle worker stated the following: "Let Ranch in Salinas. the people and the governmentof the MIDDLE and BOTTOM.; Farm United States know that we are workers brought banners ready to work -- but that we must from allover the Salinas have what we ask. It isn't very Valley to the strike vote. much. We don't ask the impos- EL MALCRlADO/5 sible -- only that they look upon us as human beings. We have the same ambitions as they do. We have families. We have rights. Weare people. Why must they continue to treat us like beasts of burc\en and look for a thousand ways to keep us down. They sold us out to the Teamsters, and now they are angry at us for not selling ourselves out. And now they would lose their crops rather than give in. But the people know we are right. They will give us their support. We shall triumph.'
"growers ru Ie by fear," Chavez says eUFWOC vice-president Dolores Huerta relayed a message from Ce sar Chavez. Chavez stated that UFWOC had agreed to delay a strike for 10 days at the request of the growers and Teamsters. "UFWOC acted in good faith, but got a slap in the face for this. The growers do not rule by love in this valley, but by fear. Injustice is the or der of the day, and men live in want. A strike is both just and necessary." 8,000 farm workers man picket lines e On Monday morning, August 24, UFWOC struck 27 of the 60 Sa- . linas growers: Nearly 6,000 workers stayed away from work. The few that arrived at the fields respected UFWOC picket lines. A similiar . strike began against 62 growers in the Santa Maria area, affecting 2,000 farm workers. The growers have begun to receive ano ther lesson in the school of social justice. They may learn that sit ting down with UFWOC to nego tiate contracts is much easier than facing the loss of the crops. It took the grape growers five years 1 to learn this lesson. Have not the lettuce growers benefitted from this example? Only time will tell. , 6jEL MALCRIADO
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AD\OS, PAPA. c.., . tL MA/,CI?/ADOoooo,,, 00. -rK ~~H( Yo Ll ~O R. rt~\.Sll\l~ tJ\E TO B£: . Vnu R ~~I.. __ EL MALCRIADO/7 a better way of life for our people:' Itliong recounted the sad his tory of Filipino farm workers in California. He mentioned that thou sands of Filipinos risked their lives in the bloody campaigns of World War II, and when they came home they were denied the justice and rights they had fought to defend. The assistant dir~ctor alluded to the vicious coalition between grow ers and Teamsters in Salinas and praised the unity of the Delano movement under the direction of Cesar Chavez. William Kircher conveyed congr
"The eyes of the world are on Delano. " left to right~ seated~ BiU Kircher~ Cesar Chavez~ Bishop DonneUy~ John Giumarra~ Martin Zaninovich. Assistant di rector Larry ItZiong stands behind Cesar.
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occasion a mutual victory,and including protective clauses on the .ed that the farm workers would to the health and welfare fund and uses of pesticides and barring lock better wages and better work 2 cents a box would be contribu 'outs and strikes during harvest conditions under the terms of ted to a special economic deve time. contract. "The power of the lopment fund which would help work The remaining grape growers' m and the power of the in- ers face mechanization and other who have not signed agreements try can now work together so problems in the future. The three reside in northern Tulare County, : we can can get a higher pro year agreement follows the pattern in Fresno County and in the Lodi at the market place," he stated. set by other table grape contracts, area Of San Joaquin County. lis will be of benefit to both Ifarmers and the workers.' . Referring to the new relation 6 between grape growers and Woe, Giumarra stated: "The s of America are focused· on ano. Can we work together a common success? We have istoriC task before us. You', farm workers, will be able to other ,people, You did it well .~, and you can damn well do t' ell anywhere in the country. is my hope that with this first p you can move foreward so t we will prosper and so will
I Applause broke out as Giu rra finished his ~peech. The Ilause grew louder as the con- I.Fts were slgned• ' Cesar Chavez explained the ms of the agreement. Farm 'kers who had only received p an hour and fifteen cents a during the harvest season in Some of the ex-strikers get a closer view of 5 would now receive $1.80 an hour Wednesday's proceedings. Seated~ facing cam 20, cents a box. It would be .era~ are membe~s ef UFWOC's Board of Directors~ reased to $1.95 next year and from left: Phillip Veracruz~ Julio Hernandez~ k$2.05 an' hour in 1972. Ten and Dolo~es Huerta. I Is an hour would be contributed EL MALCRIADO/9
;a contract is signed; . ]VIVA LOS HUELGUISTAS! ,the victory is ours! 10 jEL MALCRIADO May 30th had been \ named as National Grape Boycott Day in Canada and had been endorsed by the United Church of Canada and the Ca nadian Labour Congress. With the signing of contracts in April and May~ the National Day had an overriding at mosphere of celebPa tion and appreciation.
CANADA Five hundred people gathered on Toronto's Centre Island onMay REVELS 30th to share in an afternoon of music and games that was the To- ronto Boycott Office's ON expression of thanks to the city's people for their continued understanding and sup NATIONAL port of the farm work ers'struggle. "Gracias ~ Toronto Day" began with three GRAPE carcaravans~ starting from different sec victory. tions of the city and Brief remarks from BOYCOTT lead by a number of various community~ la municipal and provin bor~ church and poli cial political figures. tical leaders and the The caravans converged presentation of a fra DAY on the Toronto water med union label to a front where ferries representative of To took the demonstrators ronto's Mayor recom over to Centre Island~ mitted the community a beautiful public - to see this struggle park three miles out through to total suc onto Lake Ontario. cess. Folk~ soul and Mexican The entertainment music helped create highlight of a five. the feeling of jubili ternoon was the break ation for the appear ing of the pinata. ance of the first u Petra directed the nion Zabel grapes in construction of a five Toronto. foot grape bunch~ each grape containing candy and peanuts. Combin ing Mexican and Cana dian cultures~ the pi nata ceremony~ run by Alfredo de Avila of the Buffalo~ N.Y. boy cott~ found the Cana- EL MALCRIADO/ll dian youngsters using hockey .stick and their best slap shot tech nique to free the can dy. Park officials~ cautiously uninvolved in the physical pre paration until the Ma yor's office cleared ciway much red tape claimed t~e afternoon was one of the most successful occurances the island has ever hosted.
In Vancouver~ Pam Smith~ UFWOC Boycott Director~ used the May 30th designation to kick off the summer campaign against Safe way. Two hundred sup porters formed ten picket lines before adjourning to Stanley Park for a picnic. Virginia Jones of the Portland~ Oregon~ boy Above: Daughter of Manuel cott joined the Van Rivera proudly marches on couver celebration.. Boycott Day. Right: Petra Saludado sam ples the first union grapes in In Montreal~ Jessica Toronto, from the David Freed Govea organized a mas man Company of Coachella. sive roving picket line that totaled over 200 at times and vi sited five Dominion stores~ concluding the day's activity outside~ of the Quebec division headquarters. A street theatre group traveled with the picket line on a flat-bed truck~ performing p: skit de-. picting economic links binding the growers and the supermarket. Additional acti vities on the 30th were held in the Bri tish Columbia cities of Victoria~ Prince George~ Prince Rupert~ and Nanaimo. · l4jEL MALCRIADO 1~,tr..::L=ik:";~=r::.."",T'"-Th-T-e"::~:"h-~"':·';"i-~-in-p-a-~-t-!-U-l-~-. ,_I_K_fr-E-o-m-o-u-t-S-id-e-O-f-c-e-n-t-e-r-a-r-r-i-v-ed-a-t--s-tr-.ik-e-n-a-S-b-ee-n-g-o-m-g-o-n-fo-r-a-'J C himself a Chicano, is directly op- the church along with Father Fred most 18 days, the strikers have not Chi pose9 to the strike because rela- Hart and the berets from Colorado lost faith, have not given up hope, tives of his are in the fields work- Springs, Denver, and Pueblo, they but iI!-stead have become stronger ing as scabs. At one point he told ,found that the doors to the church and have voiced continually the ur- me that he was going to kick my had been chained shut. Takillg a gency of th~ir strike and the; need ass because we were deI'(lonstrat- vote of the people, the strikers for them all to stick. together to ing publicly and· he felt that I was decided to break the chains and see a victory against the lettuce has to blame for it. They have also did so, and then celebrated Mass growers. Dicho - Hecho, the strike didl come parading around us all the within the Church. Throughout the committee, will be inviting the en- the time with guns, mace, and clubs, church services there were a good tire public of Colorado to a major by No\
FRANK MEDINA AND CHRIS VALDEZ ENTERTAIN CENTER~ COLORADO STRIKERS DURING.A LULL IN NEGOTIATIONS.
waiting for some small incident nU,mber lJ~ cops patrolling the area, meeting when we will have Cesar which would give them the right again looking for' an excuse by Chavez speakinghere on the issues to come in and hurt some of the which they'could stop our church of the .strike. This will be an strikers. The strike has been meeting. The strikers were more nounced in the very near future. peaceful and will continue to be than 150, all asking for their wages When the Chicano says, "Viva La unless it is, provoked by the po to be raised, but more so, for Huelga," it means more than "May lice. In order to protect them justice for the Chicano farm worker. the Strike Live" - it means a way like selves from the police, the strikers of li,fe, a way of thinking, and a thel have had' to form their own black boycott planned fJ.1tUre for all of the poor farm can berets, who are the youths. These workers. offi berets are being trained to protect Dicho - Hecho, the strike com Chi the strikers and the rest of the mittee, is also planning to do a bec Chicano community from irrespon general boycott on lettuce and other hay sible cops. subsidiary companies involved with of, both Lee A. Consual and Fresh-' church chains pict, which are the major com do~r··~.aga~rist panies being picketed at the time. strikers on to total ENOUGHl When the lettuce strike abo! This past Sunday, the strikers, victory! is over, the enemy (the system), saie have arranged with the local The strikers are planning to do • the toWll council, the Public Uti (Str priest to have church services in several other things besides La lities Company, the grocery stores, tabl the basement of the Catholic church Huelga, including food and gas co the Gas Company, and others will are here in Center. When the strikers operatives, and other community change or suffer the pains ofchange led along with so~e 400 sympathizers oriented endeavors. Although the at the hands of the now-liberated at 'clai 'i
12jEL MALCRIADO EL MALCRIADOjl3 Lettuce workers went out on strike on June 2, and have been on strike ever since, to try to LETTUCE WORKERS get their wages raised. The wages for field hands are $1.40 an hour and $1.50 for supervisors. The On June 2~ 1970~ let strikers are now asking for raises tuce workers in Cen of $2.00 and $2.50 respectively. In ter~ REVOLT IN COLORADO order to formalize their efforts, Colorado walked off two large cor they have formed a farm. workers poration farms for organization called Dicho - Hecho, union recognition and (Said - Done). Their president a better way of life. is Reynaldo Campos, a local farm worker. They formed an orga nization called Dicho supported y Hecho. Like the Delano strikers~ they by Chavez have been endlessly Throughout the strike, various harassed by the local Chicano community leaders have power structure~ hea come in and offered their support. ded by.the law enfor Among them have been Corky Gon cement agencies and zales of the Crusade for Justice, town officials. Their who has given both financial and employers scoffed at physical support. Another great them and claim t~ey leader, the man who made don't represent work the Grape Strike most successful, ers. Strikebreakers Cesar Chavez, has sent both infor were brought in from mation and money and is planning other parts of the a visit to the Center in the near .. southwest~ but the future, in order to help this strike, strike goes on. Efforts are being made to make Center the Local No.3 of Cesar's Magdaleno Avila work United Farm Workers Union.· ed for the Colorado Rural Legal Assis wetback scabs tance before joining the lettuce strikers One of the major problems within the strike is the great number of this year as a full time organizer. The wetbacks or illegal immigrants who have been continually brought in to following are excerps from two articles on do the farm work that the strikers the lettuce strike he have left behind. There are very wrote for the Boulder few local farm workers still work Express magazine. ing and most of the people who are scabs are either wetbacks or people from outside of the Center area. cops seen as threat Another major problem for the strikcrs has been the police and the sheriff. The Center police in
S' Li"e, d1,Q haVE; ",up,,". Leu and h .ve shown pre~en.. nce 0 . Ie! grow FARN WORKERS OF COLORADO ARE ON STRIKE AGAINST T.'REE' '{PICT FOODS. SHC e' as opposed to the Chicano
RE ME,lBERS OF DICHO - HECHO~ OlrLINDA DE VARGA[ ~ BiLLY CT{AVEZ~ LEN. f~i • that they don't get out of poverty ammonia, and Brilla steel wool. Chicanos. because they don't pull themselves Only through an effective boycott strikers are up by the bootstraps; if a man can we hurt these lettuce compa has no boots, he thus cannot pull nies. The strikers are also in need i unite1d' any boot straps. Today in Center, of much food and money in order The sheriff of Saguache County people are pressured by the es to stay on strike. has_ been labeled a •. sell-out ven tablishment because they have gone While many speak of freedom dido' by his own people. He put on strike, they are pushed out of for all men, very few do anything the noose around his own neck homes, they have their electricity about it. While many say they hate r by opposing the Lettuce Strike. By' shut off, their credit suddenly goes the system, too few do anything November he wili find himself just bad, and the system still preaches to change it. If a person says something then he should live up \ to it. Such is the name of the strike organization, Dicho - Hecho \ (Said - Done). Each day we wait for our vic \ tory. Each day we get stronger. Each day we question more the system and its unequal methods. And yet we love each "'her more ~~oeLG4 ;",r
~ ON THE PICKET LINE: LEROY TORRES~ DENNIS GARCIA~ BERT ,GARCIA
like the strikers - jobless - and equality and justice for all. E then he will understand what Chi qualitY and justice you can have - cano Power means. .Other elected only if your skin is the proper officials are carefully studying the colo!; and if you have a wallet full Chicano unity that has come about of credit cards and check books. because of the strike. Businesses have suffered a serious reduction a plea for of volume business. support bootstra ps, The lettuce strikers are only seeking a wage increase but we and all that ask that our supporters boycott for The entire communityis worried us and help us win this strike. about alleged communist~, who are First of all we must eliminate said to be spear-heading the Huelga the forbidden fruit - lettuce. Then: (Strike). None of tho;e in the Es we must stop buying some of the tablishment understand that they products made by the mother com are at fault for the conditions which panies, Purex. Purex is the mother led to the protests, demonstration". company of the FreshPick Fruit at last revolutions. They keep Foods, Inc. They make Beads 'classes of people in poverty and say 0-Bleach, Dutch Cleanser, Bo-Peep .'\ ..
When Ben Aparicio walked· qff the job at. confused with the Santa ara Valley in the '. Fillmore and"piru ·Citrus Association, h~ was north of California): The 1941 strike was , . doing some unfipished business,' The:M-year crushed by "the Al:>"o~iated Farmers, the Farm . old .farm worket' was leading 210 striking citru~ Bureau, and the State Chamber of Commerce. ". workers "who had grievances against citrus Farm workers were ejected from companyhousing : .. growers that reached back for decades. Aparicio and labor camps and had to live :like animals .·~nd his workers were reviving .one of the bit- in tents and under bridges.. Pickets were "t;erest agricultural strikes in California history 'arrested and tightly organized'grower groups which occured in Fillmore and San~ Paula vowed to "fight to the finish" and to recruit in 1941. labor from all possible sources to replace .):., Fillmore -sits in the, heart of Ventura striker's. - The Federal Farm ~eclfI'ity Adminis ~~~~, ~~~";f e s::m~,:~~n tration and the State Relief Administration were inm: v:.;r:; :;:. heavily criticized by growers for offering re-
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-," ., A STRIKE IS
lief to strikers ~l)c{ tbeir families. The strike of lemons in the county, 3500 acres were con,. was finally put. doWn by the ruthless power trolled by the family of Charles Collins. Teague. .' of the grower block, but the spirit of the workers Teague and a handful of other large growers was never broken. controlled then, as they do now, most of the One of the .reporters on the scene during acreage and the political power in the area;. c.on~nue~ the 1941 strike was:George Meany, now. the "The Ventura County lemon pickers," President of the AFL:"CIO. At that time he Meany, "although their employers do not le was the secretary-treasurer of the A.F. of L. gally own their bodies, lead lives tha.t have and wrote an article on' the Ventura citrus strike, been likened to slaves. Their wages are mi-
GROWERS DUMP TRUCKLOADS OF LEMONS RATHER THAN DEAL WITH THE UNION IN :rHE 1941 STRIKE
entitled: Peonage in California (American Fe serable. . They live in squalid shacks, and are derationist, May, 194~). Meany wrote: "Many exploited at the company store. After deduc Americans think that,peonage in· America is a tions were rriade from one worker's paycheck, thing of the pa.st•. · Don't you believe it. You all he had was 18 cents!" winced at the scenes in the novel,'Grapes ()f Meany described how 1500 workers walked Wrath'. The same oppression, the same abuses, out on stri~e in January of 1041 and formed the same harrowing conditions exist in a part . the Citrus Workers Union, Local 22342, to wage of sunny Sou.thern· California called Ventura their battle for a better life. The response County:' of the lemon magnates was typical, according Meany explained.that of the 22,000 acres to Meany. "We won't stand for any unions 1
1941 : GROWERS :LISHED THIS CAMP FOR THE SCABS; STRIKERS WERE , EVICTED A STRIKE IS REVIVED
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BEN APARICIO~· LEFT~ "";,' LEADER OF THE 19?0 FILLMORE & PIRU CITRUS STRIKE~ HOLDS UP A LIST OF FARM WORKERS' DEMANDS
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..around here. Unionism in Ventura County is win because they are so clearly in the right." out," the employers shouted. Teague told Ben Aparicio, now president of the United growers: "We cannot and must not accede to Farm Workers Local of Fillmore, finds the same the union's demands. It would be better for stubborness with the field bosses and super- us to let the fruit on the trees drop to the visors of the F & P Association twenty-nine ground than to grant their demands." years later. Fred Pryce, an F & P spokesman, The authorities at Ventura Junior College broke a promise to issue the strikers a written endorsed scabbing on the part of the students., response to their demands. The workers' de- Other strikebreakers were brought in from the mands centered around a fixed price for piece . midwest, but only damaged the crop, since they rate work. The workers reported that they'were were inexperienced pickers. Meany concluded: being short-changed on the boxes of oranges "I saw conditions that were barbarous and they picked. "They tell you that they will pay shocking. But what impressed me most was you 26¢ a box at the beginning of the week," the indomitable courage of these workers in Aparicio stated. "Then when you. get paid, ,'- race n "--err:e, ldve:-sity•••..Vlen \TId women you find ypu're -:;nly getting 2S¢ a box. They hes( pirited ~-_...w,;;,.:,or:;.;k;,;.e::r;.;s=-::je:::'J::e:.:r:v;~·e:...:to=- __a_r_e_r_o:.;b:.;b:..i_n,:;g_u:..s.,.;!_"__'_':,:It:,,-:t..ak:..:.:.e.:..s:..:.:.fo:.:r:.:e:..;v:.:e~r.....:t:.::.o-.::.g:.:e..:.t_ EL MALCRIADOjll
Five years ago orgamzmg ef imperialism. I personally believe campesino himself needs, and how forts to better the campesinos' with the young.' it's possible to work progra.rns wage and living conditions began. The young labor organizer was with campesino participation." These workers were not only born in a poor Quito fe-mily and Can there be non-violence i thumbed under by ranchers, but also went to school with poor Indians, Ecuador's social labor movement? by a government which discrimi "serfs of the city." During his In a dictatorship where the nated against the poor, and a so school career, Canelos felt a need army is called to stop strikes ciety which completely ignored to help and serve the Indian and or any other disturbance agains , them. his almost hopeless situation. the government, non-violence is im- . No, this isn't the Delano farm "When I went to the univer possible, Canelos explained. But workers huelga in 1965. sity, I studied economic-science to he continued, the government ,i. This is Ecuador's social re learn the situatio~ of my people, aware of the movement's organi' volution led by the Fundacion Bre} and now I want to better the si zing activities but have refused ,} thren Unida, an interdenominational tuation," he stated. recognize the organization. Thj, •• • Organ IllOg 10 (cuador
non-profit organization which has, Ecuadbrian campesinos earn 50 non-recognltlOfl is advantageoll.s to so far, survived where other 1 work day movement because no military social movement een made to stop it. Ecuador. ,ent doesn't recog Franklin ent, then there is utive secretar quash. is an intense agrarian economy rimmed glasse lyon bananas, which ing black eyes. by an elite segment United States 0 y, rich Ecuadorian!' ganizing and th North Americans. Canelos visite ans, Canelos said, r's imports. tice of heavy money on on top trikling down Canelos discovere dia'sses is from U.S; farm workers' union is a ent Herbert' Hoover's the Ecuadorian movement becaus e down policy" of the 1930' s, theirs is still in the beginning ago th would be subsidized to bu- . stage. ted, chan es from the government and 'j'We need to learn from you. the people' as hoped this money would e We need more information about the people" tually "trikle down' to the wor' your work -- your problems - people, of w s through their wage. because it's possible -to practice felt the need If three million carnpesinos. it in Ecuador,' he said. own participatio ith the life expectancy of 50 years, He asked us several questions, would directly af an only earn 50 cents a ~daYl fOI one oi'which was how we felt about "I don't like 8 or 9 hours work, then s1:lve' la Ernesto "Che" Guevarra. people, who aren't bor can't be denied. Has any One of the staff members ans munity, come to hel one tried to help the carnpesin,'I wered that Che's philosophy was out using their ideas, before? What about the Peace humanistic, but that the man had this program to solve Corps? been built into ~omethiiJ.g he wasn't, sinos' problems,' Cane "I think they're resting," Ca a legend. He continued,''I feel nelos charged. "Only work;.ng with Cahelos replied, "The old cessary to talk with the . rich farmers or not working at aLi people thought he was a thief. The and listen to their problems. They're JUSt on vacation.•.. 'Ylan'. young thought him a symbol' of is when the program is necessa eople don't like the Peac(- Corp liberation against North American - because it deals with what the in Ecuador," l2/EL MALCRlADO ".'1 THE FARM
.~ ,:WORKERj MUST
"/ , ;1 ORGANIZE By William Kircher
third ~n a series
IS IT RIGHT FOR THIS NATION TO, CONSIDER COLLECTIVE BARGAINING .t:' AS A P'ART OF OUR SYSTEM, BUT TO DRAW A LINE BETWEE,I\I FARM WORKERS AND ALL OTHER WORKERS?
There are two ways in which ism among farm workers. over $1.70 hourly average in Con the question of the propriety of Farm workers still rank low neticut, California, and Washington. I unionism among farm workers can est in annual income of all our The national average in late 1968 be put. It can be placed on a nation's occupational groups. In was $1.43 per hour as against a -J strictly,moral basis. In other all sectors of the non-farm eco national average for non agricul , .... words, is it right for this nation nomy, and in every state, the ave tural employment of $2.93. The ,:;j to consider collective bargaining as rage hourly earnings of production crucial economic factor for farm .( a part of our system, as it does, workers are above farm wage workers however is the matter of \ and to encourage its 'usage in such rates. It is of great significance yearly earnings• .1 a manner as to strengthen the to note that the gap between ag ~ A study by the Economic Re fiber of our economy and con r~cultural and non-agricultul:'al search Service of the U.S. Depart
tribute to our system, but to draw earnings has ,continually widened' ment of Agriculture, IIA Socio ~ 1 ,\1 a line between farm workers and since World War II, a period of Economic Pro"file of the 1965 Farm - all other workers? time when the impact of free col Wage Force," deals with the ques ,:j Obviously, the case can be lective bargaining on wage rates tion of "Annual Earnings": , settled at this point. There can be in those unionized segments of the, "Because of the low wage ,'j no justification for the double work force has been the greatest. rates and short work year .:;.'''-1 standard of benefits where Ameri Figures from the U. S. Depart characteristic _ of agricultural ;1~ can workers are concerned. ment of Agriculture as late as employment, the average hired ~} But beyond that, there are those January, 1969, show rates in late farmworker in 1965 earned farm I"~.' who would like to talk of whether 1968 from a low of $1.00 per hour .;", wages of only $650 for 85 "I. or not there is a NEED for union- average in South Carolina to a little days of farmwork. This fi- :J . ..-·· HUFWOC IS A RELENTLESS FORCE BI .·· - , · ~': · IT IS RIGHT, BECAUSE 11 ·· - ~.~i:J ·· ---~------~~-_------III-.J EL MALCRIADO/13 gure does not represent total family incomes fell below $1,000 Fair Labor Standards Law. Even earnings, nor does it include for the year." now, farm workers are not ac any income from self-employ The manner in which farm wages corded equality with other workers ment. have lagged cannot be unrelated to covered. Their wage floor is 30 "Even when wages from all the fact that it has been the only cents an hour lower and, until the sources 'are totaled for the segment of predominately unskilled law is changed, it can go no I year, the average farm worker and semi-skilled labor in the na higher. Besides that, only 2 per was still a low wage earner. tional work force which has not had cent of the nation's farms are af Persons employed in both the benefit of collective bargaining. fected by the existing legislation. the farm and nonfarm economy Beyond the wage question is the Finally, farm workers are large averaged $1,486 at all jobs in fact that agricultural workers have ly outside the scope of the Social 1965, or nearly twice the earn been excluded from the whole range Security system, yet they have no ings of those doing farmwork of social reforms achieved in this other means to provide against old only ($805). Not only,were country over two generations. For age, or for their families if they daily nonfarm wages higher than example: die or become disabled. daily farm wages, but the ave Farm workers suffer more than There are other shocking in rage worker with some nonfarm any other group from recurring justices. Child labor, outlawed experience was employed for a periods of unemployment and un everywhere in the land, is still longer period at all jobs than deremployment, yet they are not common in agriculture, and in fact the person who did farmwork eligible for jobless benefits any- apologists for the big farm ex only. In addition, the nonfarm ploiters are callous enough to haq work during the year was of this injustice as an asset to so longer duration than the farm ciety. Free public schools are work and consequently produced often unavailable to the children the larger share of the year's "The boycott is of migrant farm workers. total wages." There are ,47 states with wage the only payment laws to aid workers in effective complaints and collections for wages The study comments on the due and unpaid. Only 10 of those "Family Income" of farm workers. organizational states, however, make any provi "Farmworkers are poor, not sion to extent this protection to only because their wages are device farm wor-kers. It wasn't until 1964 that a Farm low compared with wages of Labor Contractors Registration Act other Americans, but because remaining." was passed and even then so poor the total amount of money a l~ funded that as late as 1968 vailable 'to them and to mem its national field staff was limited bers of their families also falls below the national average. In where, except in Hawaii, Puerto to five professional employees. At 1965, the 3.1 million persons Rico and the District of Columbia. least 40 states have no state laws who did hired farmwork lived Every major job classification in in this area of critical need. in families whose total income industry is covered by unemploy No intelligent person could look for the year, from all sources, ment insurance except farm work. at that list of inequalities and hold averaged $2900. In the same Farm labor is one of the more out much hope for the farm workers' year, the family income of all hazardous occupations, yet farm plight being improved by "external" Americans averaged $6,000. workers are fully covered by work forces. If there is one thing the "Some farmworkers do fare mans' compensation in only 14 farm worker has come to know, better financially than the ave states. In about half the states it is the old lesson that "God rage, however. About one-tenth they are not protected at all. helps those who help themselves".... of all farm workers in 1965 Farm wages are the lowest of and American trade unionism is the had family incomes of $7500 any group in the labor force, but greatest self-help program for eco and above. This was in sharp it was not until 1966 that farm nomic - social - cultural improve contrast to the one-tenth whose workers were included under 'the ment ever invented. E BECAUSE OF THE NEED, BECAUSE E IT IS WELL LED."
______~ ~~~J, ~~ ~~ ~~ .'~
(', 14/EL MALCRIADO Not only are farm workers problems and the minor ones aren't the boycott ro all fresh grapes. ri, going to continue to build their bothering us' • There is no question of the ~lr< union, but they are going to do it The DiGiorgio Company, one fact that the boycott is hurting
.~'. using whatever effective legal or of the companies where UFWOC the growers. Some have admitted ~, ganizational devices available to had won a contract in 1966, had it. Others attempt to mmlmize ,. them. In that respect they will commenced selling its properties its effect. Shipping records and '. ' be no different than other union following the union victory. In the' other statistics, when compared to ~, ists in other union beginnings. Times article, the DiGiorgio pre previous nonboycott seasons, show Since September 1965, when the sident said, "the union contract that the impact is severe. grape strike in Delano, California was not a factor in the company's The union does not resort to started, the union has moved a sale of the land." The unorgani the boycott by choice. It is not ~'1~ i head. Viewed from the standard zed growers, trying to discredit an endeavor that is pleasant for ". I _ of past accomplishments it has the union, had charged that it was. the workers. The unfortunate facts :' Clone mUCh. Viewed from the stand It is clear that the union of life are that the boycott, un ~. point of what remains to be done, growth has been beneficial to the der present circumstances, is the ':. it has hardly scratched the only effective organi surface. zational device remaining. It has forced re- The lack of any or cognlOon with the big ~~Viewed derly procedure, backedup ~., gest California grape com by law, for the question ;;', panies throl 'r piece and incentive rates, and a workers without ..destrOying' the truck from the Mexican bor '.: no-strike clause in every contract. companies. der. In manr cases these work Growers still resisting the For over two years the union's ers will be actual illegal en union in mid-68 charged that com organizational effort has been in the trants. In other cases, they will panies were suffering "chaos" on form of a national boycott against be. holders of visas called "green their farms because of the union. table grapes. It started after the cards", obtained under the pretext The Los Angeles Times investi- August 5, 1967 strike, against the of their wanting to establIsh resi r gated this, talked to the unionized Giumarra Corporation, had been dence in the United States but with ~ growers, aI'.d in a story by Times broken through the use of illegal no intention of ever follOWing ; Labor Editor, Harry Bernstein, on and "green card" labor. At first through on that promise. The im : December 16, 1968, printed denials the boycott was directed against migration policies of this govern ....j : of the charges. One company de Giumarra. However, when the union ment have deteriorated to the point .:;.' }~ : clared openly that "it is unfair discovered that numerous "com where this flagrant abuse is carried i to say that this is not a respon': petitors" of the Giumarra Corpora out without any meaningful inter ',~ :;" i sible union" while another admitted tion were making their labels a ference. .-/ i that while the union had raised vailable to Giumarra to frustrate Added to thIS' is the situation ,". I wages considerably, "so far, we the boycott, the union was left where, in an agrkulwrally domin :,' ! have resolved all of our major with no alternative but to apply ated community, Ipcal courtS and " ~l ------1 l'UFWOC LEADERSHIP LOOKS FOR T RECOGNIZED AS A HELPFUL PART a EL MAL<;;RIADO/IS police do not tend to' be sympa which the farm workers' union is are sometimes found helping the thetic to farm workers' organiza blessed. farm worker programs. Some call tional endeavors. Given the Headed by Cesar Chavez, the it a religious movement because the "alien" labor problem, the courts union has the benefit' of leader banner of the Virgin of Guadalupe aI!d power structure, successful ship from a man who is extremely is in nearly every procession. strikes become remote possibili bright, unswervfngly dedicated and The leadership, Chavez and ties. extremely tough and courageous. Itliong particularly, smile at all It is for this reason that the He is a selfless man who can find of this. They know what UFWOC workers turn to the boycott, in almost superhuman energy to bring is. It is a union, and the things order to take advantage of the to this effort only because of the that they do are things that must strength of the millions of brother depth of his belief and dedication. be done at this time to build that and sister' trade unionists all over Teamed with him is a Filipino union. this land and in other nations, calling farm worker, Larry Itliong, cut of It is a relentless force be upon the general public to support the same bright, tough organi- cause of the need, because it is their cause by with right and because it is holding their purchases well led. It is suc~ of fresh grapes. ceeding and it will suc- In this respect ceed more and more they have the totalcom each year. mitment from the Am The leadership looks erican Labor Move for the day when it will ment. George Meany, be recognized as a help the President of the ful part of the total com- AFL-CIO, has for many, munity, so that tflt, many years been known ...Viewed strength that it nas can as one of the nation's from the standpoint also he lent to good staunchest advocates of cauSe's beyond the imme farm labor unionism. He of what remains diate purposes of the union has been personally in in the field of wages, volved in many of the to be done, hours, and conditions organizational strug it has hardly for its members. gles in the West. In The sooner the rest the current efforthe has scratched of the community re testified before every the surface." alizes that a farm major, legislative com worker union can really mittee which has held be a good thing for hearings on this sub everyone, the sooner ject. zational cloth. Both of them un reason will prevail and progress Since UFWOC was , formed derstand unionism. 'Both of them for all will occur. there have been two national con- know that the future of their move ventions of AFL-CIO. In each of ment, and tlIerefore the brighmess these, standing, unanimous approval of the farm workers' future, exists was given t6 resolutions calling for in the field Qf union attainmeqt. total support for the farm worker Some adversaries call it a organizing effort, and in each in "social movement" because part MR. KIRCHER IS THE stance Meany pledged to the leader of the program includes consumer NATIONAL DIRECTOR ship of the farm workers unending cooperatives, credit unions and me ()F ORGANIZING FOR aid and support. ' dical clinics. Some adversaries THE AFL-CIO. WE With all there is to examine label it a \"civil rights" movement THANK HIM FOR THE in this matter, nothing is a more because it concerns itself 'with the USE OF THIS AR critical factor in what has been .problems of discrimination which TICLE. WHICH FIRST accomplished and what remains to its members face. Some call it APPEARED IN "THE be accomplished than the tremen a "hippie" movement because stu FARM QUARTERLY'!. dous indiginous leadership with dents with long hair and beards OR THE DA'y WHEN IT WILL BE ,RT OF THE TOTAL COMMUNITY." l6/EL MALCRIADO " THE FIRST 100 ; HUELGAII .. .. THE GREAT DELANO GRAPE STRIKE -HUELGAI - by Eugene Nelson remains the finest account yet pUblished on the early days of the Delano grape strike. Nelson was a picket line Captain (and later led ,the Union drive to organize ¢e melop fields of South Texas) ',I and writes with intimate knowledge of the origins and beginnings of the strike. Nelson also includes a' brief biography and interviews with Cesar Chavez, and other Union leaders, and a history of the National F.arm Workers Association, the predecessor of the United Farm Workers OrganiZing Committ~e. (160 pages, with 11lustrations b¥ George Ballis and others. In English only. $1.50). POSTERS OF VILLA, "l-APATA, CHAVEZ NEW FROM EL MALCRIADO r------~~ Full-color~ glossy poster of farm worker leader Cesar Chavez~ with the campesinos of Schenley Ranch. 17"x23". OLD FROM EL MALCRIADO , Posters of Emiliano Zapata :.-.:..~·~~.7:.~:::~:~:;~~~.:~:~~.::~:·::::~: and Pancho Villa with the .. '''~._ ...... "' o~··... -_ - .. ••• ' ...... ' •••• ' ~I ••••"',,.,,'•••••"0' _ • banner ('~headUne "VIVA LA .~\~..::::i? ;;:.:::o~:::_,:.~:.~. ':~;,.:::. ~=..:.. :~:-~ :0; REVOLUCION." 17" x 23". l"------,----~ Cesar Chavez each~ (full color) ALL POSTERS $1.50 plus 259 postage and handling. 5 copies for $5.25. Emiliano Zapata (black on red) r~------~------~ I EL MALCRIADO I ,1 I I •I -I ~ VJ I P. O. BOX 130' J ;1 H :rJ c- "'"Vl . e- ~ DELANO, CA r ":1 15: - -< 0 :P z r 93215 f e- t-3 c.... J. , " '-::::i , '1. t=l ~ 0 '::~" .. :l:l : Please send me the foUowing: ! "j I:' c."J !~!:i <") » :P :::0 copies HUELGA @$1.50 each I t~.~ -< ~1 I ::.~.I -0 t=-l c=l I posters of CESAR CHAVEZ @$1. 50 each z 1 "...... en I posters of EMILIANO ZAPATA @$1.50 each ,/ ..0"'" " 'Xj I p~qters of PANCHO VILLA @ $1.50 each .-"'" t"'J .. e- : ~ ~riptions to EL MALCRIADO @$3.50 , I:' ., ;"JJ r-1 ::d I NAME " \.>I J ADDRESS 0 CI TY __':-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-S-=-=T=-A:-::T::":E=- - _-_-_-~-Z-IP-_-_-_-_-= N tZJ I .. ) I , " I ...... ,!~" VI ~------~------~------~ ':1 •.~