Thursday, April 3, 1997
MECHA:
Leaders focus on organizing march in support of workers’
rightsBy Hector Ronquillo
Daily Bruin Contributor
Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers (UFW)
joined UCLA students at a screening Tuesday honoring union leader
Cesar Chavez and farm workers who took part in the struggle for
farmers’ recognition of unionized labor over 30 years ago.
The documentary, titled "The Fight In The Fields," was presented
Tuesday night and brings to rest seven years of work by filmmakers
Rick Tejada-Flores and Ray Telles.
The film, presented by the Chicano/Latino Film and Television
Association celebrated the triumphs of the UFW and praised the
thousands of people who sacrificed their jobs and well-being so
that all farm workers might receive better living and working
conditions, higher wages, medical care, and protection from deadly
pesticides.
But according to labor leaders, the fight is far from over.
Organizers and supporters see a new front for the ongoing labor
battle in the strawberry fields, where thousands of unskilled
workers endure long hours stooped over picking the fruit, often for
pay well below the minimum wage.
Currently, the focus of the UFW and the National Strawberry
Commission for Workers’ Rights is to organize a march in
Watsonville on April 13 to protest the living conditions of
strawberry workers and encourage grocery stores and individuals to
join the campaign.
According to Huerta, the purpose of the march is to show growers
that there is a large amount of support for the campaign among both
students and members of the community at large.
From the outset of the project, filmmakers Tejada-Flores and
Telles hoped to educate the younger generation about the
hard-fought victories of Chavez and Huerta and the tremendous
impact they had on farm workers.
"We want to teach this important piece of American history to
this younger generation," Telles said. "(Chavez) was important not
only to Latinos, but to the nation as a whole." The film honors the
labor movements of farm workers of various ethnic groups, including
Latinos, Pilipinos, African-Americans, Arabs and Anglos.
With strong support from Vice Chancellor Raymond Paredes, the
large crowd was treated to a sneak preview of the film airing on
PBS later this month.
"Our job is to promote innovative educational and diverse
programs in order to teach students about the different cultures
that make up the American experience," Paredes said.
Inspired by the non-violent teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and the
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Chavez believed in workers’ ability to
overcome adversity through peaceful methods. Chavez himself made a
tremendous sacrifice to his own health with a number of fasts.
Today, many farm workers still face many of the problems that
have burdened them for years. But the memory of Chavez’s courage
remains in the hearts of many workers who are ready to boycott
strawberries for their cause.
"There are five issues that we are fighting for in this
campaign," said Jeanette Conchas, a UCLA alumna and community
organizer for the UFW. "We want to end sexual harassment and child
labor; job security; clean bathrooms and water, and (obtain) health
insurance and higher wages."
Movimiento Estudiantil Chicana/o de Aztlan (MEChA) is also
contributing its efforts to the campaign by educating students
about the struggles of the farm workers, and recruiting students to
attend the march in Watsonville.
"We are taking part along with the UFW, the Cesar Chavez
Foundation, and the Chicano/Latino Film and Television Association
to deal with the issues of farm workers, and how these messages are
being conveyed to the students," said Margarita Gonzalez, a
fourth-year history and Chicana/o studies student and MEChA
chairperson.
Grocery stores are also being targeted in the campaign in hopes
that they will join the workers’ struggle. While Lucky Supermarkets
is being asked to join, Ralphs, the leading chain in Southern
California has already pledged their support.
According to Giev Kashkooli, a national union coordinator,
approximately 500 grocery stores in New York are showing their
support. Dominics, a major supermarket chain in Chicago is also
expected to join the campaign next week.
JUSTIN WARREN/Daily Bruin
Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers, speaks
out about attaining better living and working conditions for
workers during a speech in the Ackerman Grand Ballroom Tuesday.