Standing Strong

    The sun beat down on rows of grapevines. Beside them, workers kneeled in the dirt. 

    Snip. Snip. Snip.

    With clippers, they cut bunches of grapes. Then they packed them into crates. It was hard work. Gnats bit them. Sweat soaked through their shirts.

    It was September 1965 in Delano, California. Harvest season had just begun. Almost 300,000 tons of grapes were grown each year in the area. This business made grape growers rich.

    But the people who picked the grapes earned very little. And they worked under awful conditions.

    Out in the fields, there was no cold drinking water. There were no toilets. The vines were sprayed with dangerous chemicals to control bugs. The chemicals, called pesticides, made workers sick.

    Still, no one complained. If they did, they could be fired.

    Suddenly, there was a commotion. The pickers looked up. On a nearby road, a woman stood on a car, shouting at the pickers. Then she yelled a single Spanish word: ¡Huelga!

    Strike!

    The woman was Dolores Huerta. She wanted the pickers to stop working until they were treated better.

    The California sun beat down on rows of grapevines. Beside them, workers kneeled in the dirt.

    Snip. Snip. Snip.

    With small metal clippers, they cut bunches of green and purple grapes. Then they packed them into wooden crates. It was backbreaking, exhausting work. Gnats bit their skin. Sweat soaked through their shirts.

    It was September 1965 in Delano, California, and harvest season had just begun. Almost 300,000 tons of grapes were grown each year in the Delano area. It was a massive business that made grape growers rich.

    However, the people who picked the grapes earned very little, and they worked under terrible conditions.

    Out in the fields, there were no toilets and no cold drinking water. To control insect populations, the vines were sprayed with dangerous chemicals called pesticides—and these chemicals made workers sick.

    Yet, for fear of being fired, no one complained. 

    Suddenly, the workers heard a commotion. On the dusty road beyond the fields, a woman stood on top of a car, shouting at the pickers. Then she yelled a single Spanish word: ¡Huelga!

    Strike!

    The woman was Dolores Huerta, and she was encouraging the pickers to stop working until they were treated better.

    Nearly 5,000 people worked in Delano’s grape fields during the fall harvest. This included whole families. Most of the workers were Mexican American migrants. They went from farm to farm, following California’s harvests. In winter, they picked vegetables in the south. By the end of summer, they had traveled north to Delano.

    Along the way, workers needed housing. Most rented small shacks from growers. Some slept in tents on the growers’ land.

    In the 1960s, pickers were paid an average of 90 cents an hour. That’s equal to about $8.56 today. Many had health problems because the work was hard on their bodies.

    Huerta wanted to change that.

    Nearly 5,000 people, including entire families, worked in Delano’s grape fields during the fall harvest. Most of the workers were Mexican American migrants who traveled from farm to farm, following California’s harvests. In winter, the workers picked vegetables in the south. By the end of summer, they had made their way north to Delano.

    Along the way, workers needed housing. Many rented shelters—small shacks in poor condition—from the growers, while others slept in tents on the growers’ land.

    In the 1960s, pickers were paid an average of 90 cents an hour, which is equal to about $8.56 today. Many suffered from health problems because the work was so hard on their bodies.

    Dolores Huerta wanted to change that.

    Huerta was born in 1930. She grew up in California. After college, she became a teacher. Many of her students’ families were farmworkers. She saw how tough their lives were and wanted to help. But how?

    Huerta decided to change careers. In 1962, she helped start a labor union for farmworkers. A labor union is a group of workers who come together to fight for better pay and working conditions. Huerta founded the union with a man named César Chávez. They both understood farmworkers. Huerta’s father had picked sugar beets. Chávez grew up a migrant worker. 

    The union was called the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA). The pair nicknamed it “La Causa.” That’s Spanish for “the cause.” By 1965, the NFWA had grown to 1,200 members.

    Huerta was born in 1930. She grew up in California. After college, she became a teacher. Many of her students’ families were farmworkers. Their lives were hard. Huerta wanted to help. But how?

    She changed careers. In 1962, she helped start a labor union for farmworkers. A labor union is a group of workers who come together to fight for better treatment. Huerta founded the union with a man named César Chávez. They both knew about farm work. Huerta’s father had picked beets. Chávez grew up a migrant worker.

    The union was called the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA). The pair nicknamed it “La Causa,” Spanish for “the cause.” By 1965, there were 1,200 members.

    Huerta was born in 1930 and grew up in California. After college, she became a teacher. Many of her students’ families were farmworkers. She saw how difficult their lives were, and she wanted to help.

    Huerta decided to change careers. In 1962, she helped start a labor union for farmworkers. A labor union is a group of workers who come together to fight for better pay and working conditions. Huerta founded the union with a man named César Chávez. They both understood farmworkers. Huerta’s father had picked sugar beets, and Chávez had grown up as a migrant worker.

    The union was called the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA). The pair nicknamed it “La Causa,” which is Spanish for “the cause.” By 1965, the NFWA had grown to 1,200 members

    Months passed. The strike dragged on. Staying out of work was hard. The NFWA paid each striker $5 a week. But the workers needed more help.

    Then, six months into the strike, things changed. U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy had heard about the strike. He and other members of Congress went to Delano.

    The strike became national news. For the first time, people across the country saw how the Delano farmworkers lived and worked.

    It was a turning point.

    Before long, the two unions involved in the strike came together. They formed a larger union: the United Farm Workers of America. The group started a boycott. They asked Americans to stop buying grapes.

    It worked. In major cities, grape sales fell by more than half.

    The strike dragged on for months, and it became increasingly difficult for strikers to manage without their usual income. The NFWA paid each striker $5 a week, but the workers needed more help.

    Finally, six months into the strike, good news arrived. The strike had captured the attention of U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and he and other members of Congress traveled to Delano.

    Suddenly, the Delano Grape Strike became national news. For the first time, people across the country could see how the Delano farmworkers lived and worked.

    It was a major turning point.

    In the following months, the two unions involved in the strike came together and formed a larger union: the United Farm Workers of America. The group started a national boycott—they asked Americans to stop buying grapes.

    The boycott was successful. In major cities, grape sales decreased by more than 50 percent.