Perspectives
A Frontier for Workers’ Rights:
The Delano Grape Strike and Boycott
Ending the Strike
On March 1, 1968, Chavez and several farm workers stopped eating for 25 days in protest of the growers' refusal to negotiate with the UFW. The hunger strike gained national attention from individuals in the Senate, putting pressure on growers to negotiate with strikers.
Senator Robert F. Kennedy (NY) next to Chavez as he breaks his hunger strike, New York Times, 1968
"So I come here today to honor a great man, Cesar Chavez. I come here today to honor you for the long and patient committment you have made to this great struggle for justice. And I come here to say that we will fight together to achieve for you the aspirations of every American--decent wages, decent housing, decnet schooling, a chance for yourself and your children. You stand for justice and I am proud to stand with you."
~ Robert F. Kennedy, New York Senator, speech to 10,000 Mexican migrant workers gathered at Memorial Park for Cesar Chavez, 1968
On July 29, 1970, the grape strike and boycott ended. Grape growers signed labor contracts with the union. The UFW won the right to collectively bargain on behalf of farmworkers with grape growers, setting a precedent for other agricultural workers. Grape growers agreed to include improved access to healthcare and higher wages. The Delano Grape Strike brought national attention to the plight of farmworkers and raised awareness about their lack of basic labor rights.
Chavez shaking hands with John Giumarra Jr. ending the strike, Los Angeles Times, 1970
"The UFW contracts also delivered a medical plan to the membership and served as a catalyst for a new health-care system geared to the needs of Delano’sfarmworker population. The UFW contracts called for the growers to contribute to a medical plan for the workers. The medical plan, named after Robert F. Kennedy, was funded with a 10-cents-an-hour contribution by the employers for each hour worked by the farmworkers under union contract."
~ Barbara Macri-Ortiz, Delano striker account, 1990
Government Response
Furthermore, the UFW's efforts pressured federal and state governments to pass significant legislation that improved the lives of agricultural laborers throughout California and the US.
In 1975, California Governor Brown passed the Agricultural Labor Relations Act (ALRA). The ALRA granted agricultural workers the right to negotiate with farm owners and provided them with secret ballot elections to fairly select representative unions.
Additionally, the 1983 Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSAWPA) established labor standards and protections for immigrant and seasonal farm workers. It regulated wages, housing, transportation, and working conditions.
Signing of the ALRA, Arizona Daily Star, 1975
Marina Peng, Senior Division, Individual Website