History - Pinoys help organize UFW
Although Cesar Chavez was known to have championed farm workers in America and later became the founder of the United Farm Workers it is also fitting to remember that a number of Filipinos were instrumental in the creation of the most important labor movement in American history.
Here's an interesting story told by one of the first Filipinos to join the 1965 strike. He was a Filipino farmer who helped organize and unify latino and filipino farm workers into a formidable union.
To name these labor union pioneers and leaders is also to honor their contributions and their legacy. I only named a few, those that I can find in public records, surely there are many more out there.
Here's an interesting story told by one of the first Filipinos to join the 1965 strike. He was a Filipino farmer who helped organize and unify latino and filipino farm workers into a formidable union.
To name these labor union pioneers and leaders is also to honor their contributions and their legacy. I only named a few, those that I can find in public records, surely there are many more out there.
- Ben Gines
- Pete Manuel
- Larry Itliong
- Andy Imutan
- Pete Velasco
i think i read somewhere that carlos bulosan, the writer, was also very much involved in organizing farm workers. i think he was into it before cesar chavez.
ReplyDeleteBill, Thanks for dropping by. Indeed Carlos Bulosan was involved. Last month I attended the burial of a friend of Mr. Bulosan who was one of the "old timers" in the farming community here in Central California and they did mention some civil rights activities. Also, here's an excerpt from an article :
ReplyDeleteHis experiences as a farm worker led Bulosan to become active organizing farm workers into unions. But the hardships of life as an itinerant worker took its toll. In 1936 Bulosan was diagnosed with tuberculosis, and he spent the next two years at Los Angeles County Hospital. He eventually had several lung operations, lost the ribs on his right side and was given five years to live by his doctors. It was during this time that he began to read voraciously, educating himself and gradually becoming a writer.