Central Coast Farm Labor Organizing Collection

The Central Coast Farm Labor Organizing Collection contains materials relating to migrant farm workers on the Central Coast of California, including oral histories, reports, correspondence, strike ephemera, and secondary sources. Photographs taken by Manuel Echavarria documenting the United Farm Worker movement and used in the exhibit "iViva la Causa! A Decade of Farm Labor Organizing on the Central Coast" are included in the collection. Finding aid available at https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt3g50363t/

Collection

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Children demonstrating in support of Prop 14
Local Identifier
098-1-a-01-00-53
Date Created
1976
Description

The children demonstrating in front of the Teamsters Santa Maria office show how the labor struggles of Cecilia came to Santa Maria in 1976. The picket signs urge a "Vote yes for Prop. 14." The initiative failed due to a grower-financed media scare campaign.

Chile harvesters
Local Identifier
098-1-a-01-00-42
Date Created
1975
Description

Farm workers harvest Anaheim chiles in a Santa Maria Valley field late in 1975. Echavarria recalls that these workers voted to join the UAW, but the grower refused to negotiate a contract.

UFW organizers performing in celebration of the signing of the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act, 1975
Local Identifier
098-1-a-01-00-41
Date Created
1975
Description

Years of struggle are rewarded in 1975. Veteran UFW organizers Jessica Govea, far right, and Eugenio (Winnie) Arvallo, left, perform in the Guadalupe Recreation Center to celebrate Governor Jerry Brown's signing of the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act into law. The act allows farm workers to vote and select the union of their choice, and UFW organizers to walk into the fields to talk to farm workers during specified break periods: a right enjoyed by industrial workers.

Teamster sympathizers
Local Identifier
098-1-a-01-00-38
Description

A group of "gorillas" sit waiting for trouble to start in the Coachella vineyards.

Sheriff disarms strikebreaker
Local Identifier
098-1-a-01-00-39
Description

Violence could erupt at any moment. Coachella Valley Sheriff's deputies take away a branch from one of the strike breakers. Sticks and two-by-fours often turned into fearsome weapons in Teamster hands.

Picketers at strawberry farm
Local Identifier
098-1-a-01-00-22
Description

Picketing and walkouts spread throughout the Santa Maria Valley strawberry harvest.

Lunchtime during picketing
Local Identifier
098-1-a-01-00-31
Description

Picketing produced more than acrimony. Echavarria remembers lunchtime as a beautiful and blessed moment when local residents could show their support by preparing and donating food, and thus strengthening the bonds between local farm workers. From left to right: Lola Flores, Jesus Estorga, Maria Guzman, Leopoldo Rodrogues, and Fela Teniente.

Cesar Chavez speaking (with bodyguards at his side)
Local Identifier
098-1-a-01-00-35
Description

Cesar Chavez, bodyguards at his side, tells workers how they can organize themselves to receive better wages, working conditions, and, most importantly, earn self-respect. Chavez had invited Santa Maria's UFW chapter to Coachella to help organize grape strikes and picket Teamster interference.

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