Throughout American history, millions of people around the world have abandoned their homeland for a change, to start a new life in a foreign country. The massive migrant flows had a direct relationship to the growth of the U.S Empire, whether it was through a political need to stabilize a neighboring country or an economic need such as the labor demands, the truth is the U.S’s ideologies and policies have shaped their connections with other countries. Constant body pain for low wages, horrible living conditions and harsh treatment/exploitation from farm owners are just a few experiences that farm labor workers have gone through in the search of a better life. The history of farm labor migration has been shaped by Chinese, Japanese, Filipino,
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society. However, the U.S. has played a major role recruiting immigrant workers. The U.S. tends to take advantage of those in need, exploits them and when they are no longer needed, gets rid of them. The U.S, has been a revolving door, that allows immigrants to come in by creating policies such as the bracero program, and once those immigrants are no longer need the U.S. comes up with labor policies such as the Chinese Exclusion Act, or Operation Wetback to get rid of immigrant. Nonetheless, there have been three major waves of farm workers organizing. Nonetheless, this essay will focus on the comparing and contrasting the experiences of organizing farm workers in California at different historical times, and the struggles behind each …show more content…
However, it was not until the 1960s, at the end of the bracero program, created the next opportunity to organize farm workers. According to Ferris and Sandoval (1997), the “AWOC’s mostly white leadership had little success organizing Mexican workers, and Chavez believed he knew a better way” (66). With that mentality Cesar Chavez founded the National Farm Workers Association in 1962, influenced by his early migrant worker experiences. His union joined with the AWOC in its first strike against grape growers in California, and the two organizations later merged to become the United Farm Workers. Concentrated on nonviolent methods, Chavez strategies involved boycotts, marches, strikes, and fasts (Rivera-Salgado, 11/27/2015). After putting up a long fight, Chavez was able to secure raises and improve conditions for farm workers in California. Since Cesar was primarily organizing Mexican workers, he was able to connect, and devote himself to fight with them for better working conditions. His faith and motivation was what allowed him to organize massive immigrant groups. Cesar saw the union as a social movement and the allowed him to do what other organization could not do, because he saw himself in those farmworkers he was able to surpass obstacles and come out victorious. Chavez’s strategies all included both genders, women and men both played important roles in organizing and
society. However, the U.S. has played a major role recruiting immigrant workers. The U.S. tends to take advantage of those in need, exploits them and when they are no longer needed, gets rid of them. The U.S, has been a revolving door, that allows immigrants to come in by creating policies such as the bracero program, and once those immigrants are no longer need the U.S. comes up with labor policies such as the Chinese Exclusion Act, or Operation Wetback to get rid of immigrant. Nonetheless, there have been three major waves of farm workers organizing. Nonetheless, this essay will focus on the comparing and contrasting the experiences of organizing farm workers in California at different historical times, and the struggles behind each …show more content…
However, it was not until the 1960s, at the end of the bracero program, created the next opportunity to organize farm workers. According to Ferris and Sandoval (1997), the “AWOC’s mostly white leadership had little success organizing Mexican workers, and Chavez believed he knew a better way” (66). With that mentality Cesar Chavez founded the National Farm Workers Association in 1962, influenced by his early migrant worker experiences. His union joined with the AWOC in its first strike against grape growers in California, and the two organizations later merged to become the United Farm Workers. Concentrated on nonviolent methods, Chavez strategies involved boycotts, marches, strikes, and fasts (Rivera-Salgado, 11/27/2015). After putting up a long fight, Chavez was able to secure raises and improve conditions for farm workers in California. Since Cesar was primarily organizing Mexican workers, he was able to connect, and devote himself to fight with them for better working conditions. His faith and motivation was what allowed him to organize massive immigrant groups. Cesar saw the union as a social movement and the allowed him to do what other organization could not do, because he saw himself in those farmworkers he was able to surpass obstacles and come out victorious. Chavez’s strategies all included both genders, women and men both played important roles in organizing and