United Farm Workers (UFW) Delano Grape Strike, 1965-1970

The United Farm Workers (UFW) Delano Grape Strike from 1965 to 1970 is one of the most well known strikes in U.S. history, as it relied heavily on public boycotts, marches and other public actions to raise awareness of the working conditions for agricultural workers.

In 1965, grape pickers in Delano, California who were in two unions that later merged to become the United Farm Workers (UFW) went out on strike,  citing low wages, hazardous working conditions, and harassment by growers.  The growers refused to recognize the union, or negotiate a contract, so in 1967 the UFW called for a boycott of non-union grapes. 

Community support for the boycott played a pivotal role in the success of the farm workers’ strike, as flyers, posters, and informational pickets encouraged the public to boycott non-union grapes sold in grocery stores by the growers.  Farm workers and their supporters marched in a peregrinación or pilgrimage from Delano to Sacramento in 1966, which brought national attention to their cause.  According to the UFW: “Millions of people responded, and finally in 1970, faced with a sharp decline in sales, 85% of the nation’s grape growers signed contracts with the UFW” ("Unless You See").

Questions

  • How does the letter ask the public to support the striking farm workers?
  • The letter refers to the Strike Fund which supports the farm workers with a $5 a week strike benefit.   What expenses would those funds need to cover for each farm worker?  
  • How is the ability of the strikers to survive financially necessary for the success of the strike?

Letter from Cesar Chavez on United Farm Worker letterhead asking friends to support the families of striking farmworkers that are running out of food

Letter from Cesar Chavez (PDF/text version Download PDF/text version)

Questions

  • How might this flyer’s focus on soldiers in Vietnam appeal to the San Francisco State University students who will be attending the speech by Dolores Huerta?
  • What role does holding events such as this play in generating support for the farm workers?

Flyer announcing Dolores Huerta will be at a rally in San Francisco, noting the effects of insecticides, and urging locals to support the strike.

Grape Pickers Say No More DDT (PDF/text version Download PDF/text version)

“Unless You See The UFW Union Label Boycott Lettuce & Grapes.”  A Political Education Project Report.  No. 5, circa 1974.  EPH Farm Workers.  Labor Archives and Research Center,  San Francisco State University.

“Grape Pickers Say No More DDT Hear Dolores Huerta,”  1969.  Flyer.  EPH Farm Workers.  Labor Archives and Research Center,  San Francisco State University.