Chicano Farm Worker Movements
During the Chicano farm workers movement, many women underwent sexual assault, unequal treatment, and lack of support and resources. Women were discriminated against due to conservative views that women should take care of their families and they are not equal to men therefore they do not deserve respect. Chicana activists such as Maria Moreno, Monica Ramirez, and Jessie de la Cruz began creating unions, organizing protests, and gaining positions in the government to change policies to reduce discrimination. These women were usually children of farm workers or they themselves worked as farm workers therefore they experienced harsh work conditions and discrimination. They have been oppressed and recognized that the government was not doing anything to help migrant workers in their daily lives. These female activists were outspoken and passionate about helping their people achieve better lives in the U.S.
Many women underwent sexual assault in their workplace and there were no policies or laws in place to punish the men who were committing these acts which allowed them to keep happening. Men were not held accountable for their actions and women were expected to keep quiet and continue to maintain their families. Female activists let their voices be heard for all the women who were treated poorly and silenced. The protests and strikes helped inspire other people to join farm worker unions and provoke the government to provide protection and resources to Chicano workers.
Key Figures That Shaped the Future
Many figures had been noted throughout history who had been representative of the Chicano Farm Workers struggle to fight for their rights. People such as Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta being the front runners of this fight. Cesar and Dolores worked together to organize the farmworkers into a single union. They prioritized organizing boycotts to representing the farmworker's job conditions. Dolores coordinated the nationwide lettuce, grape, and Gallo wine boycotts in 1970 and allowed for the passage in 1975 for the Agricultural Labor Relations Act. They were inspired by their own personal struggles against the injustice and they felt it was up to them to represent those who were unable to do so. They took the mantle and allowed for farmers to have their rights and laws passed to protect themselves from being exploited.
The gallo wine boycotts were a part of a broader campaign that included lettuce and table grapes. The growers failed to renew their contracts with the union and they ended up signing up with the rival teamsters instead. The boycott ended in 1978 after the UFW won a string of union elections held under California's new Agricultural Labor Relations Act and the teamsters agreed to allow the UFW to represent the field workers.