Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee

Agricultural Workers History Collection

drice — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 09:16:17 -0400

The United Farm Workers of America (predecessor name, United Farm Workers Organizing Committee) is a 20th Century union, created when the National Farm Workers Association and Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee merged to form UFWOC, to further the rights of farm workers. As the union developed, it led strikes and organizing campaigns to advance their efforts.

Parts 1 and 2 of the Agricultural Workers History Collection are comprised of articles, publications, crop and migrant studies, farm wage rates, UFW grape and lettuce boycott newsletters, legislative reports and other materials documenting the history of agricultural labor in California and a few other states.

Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee Records

drice — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:53:57 -0500

AWOC was chartered by the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) to organize farm workers in California. During its seven-year existence, AWOC called many strikes against growers and farm labor contractors and achieved some success in raising wages of farm laborers. Their records reflect these activities until their merger with the National Farm Workers Association to form the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee, AFL-CIO in 1966.

UFW Central Administration Records

drice — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:30:00 -0400

Subjects include: California boycotts; migrant laborers; immigration and farm labor legislation; farm worker health; Prop 22; Dolores Huerta; California agribusiness

Philip Vera Cruz Papers

drice — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:07:32 -0400

Philip Vera Cruz (Dec 25, 1904 – June 12, 1994) was born in Saoag, Ilocos Sur,
Philippines. He worked on farms in the Philippines before traveling to the United States
in 1926. Vera Cruz worked several odd jobs around the Midwest, but was not active in
any union before moving to California in 1943 and becoming a farm worker. He joined
the Agricultural Worker Organizing Committee (AWOC) and soon became a leader in
farm workers rights. In 1965 he was an active force in the AWOC decision to strike
against grape growers in Delano, CA. The strike and boycott soon won the support of
Cesar Chavez and the National Farm Workers of America, and led to the eventual
merging of the two groups to form the United Farm Workers. Vera Cruz was elected a
vice president of the union, a position he held until he left the union in protest of Chavez
in 1977, though he continued to be active in his retirement. Cruz also formed the Farm
Workers Credit Union and created Agbayani Village, a retirement community for older
farm workers. Throughout his career Vera Cruz worked for migrant and farm worker
rights, and was very active in the Asian American, especially Filipino, rights movement
and community. In 1987 he received the Ninoy M Aquino Award in the Philippines, and
in 1992 he was honored by the AFL-CIO’s Asian Pacific American Labor Committee.

The papers of Philip Vera Cruz focus on his active years as a California labor leader. It
includes his correspondence, writings and notes, as well as his activity in the UFW and
other organizations and his work in boycotts. Cruz’s research, negotiations, and
collective bargaining work are also included as well as a number of ALRB cases and
resources he collected for farm workers and Filipinos.

United Farm Workers Agbayani Village: Retirement Living for Filipino Farm Workers

Public Relations Team — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 09:18:29 -0400

In the Winter 2013 semester, the Reuther Library worked with students in the Graduate Certificate in Archival Administration program at the Wayne State School of Library and Information Science to produce a series of student-written, guest blog posts.

Julia Teran is in the process of earning an MLIS, an MA in History, and an Archival Administration Certificate. A few of her research interests include digital preservation, historical interpretation, local history, and American women’s history.

In 1974, the United Farm Workers Union (UFW), led by Cesar Chavez, opened Agbayani Village, a retirement complex for Filipino farm workers who had immigrated from the Philippines to California during the 1920s and 1930s. read more »

(256) Pickets, AWOC, Grape Strike, California, 1966

eclemens — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:25:24 -0400

A Filipino picketer holds a sign showing the support of the AFL-CIO and AWOC (Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee) for the Grape Strike, Delano, California.

(362) Walter Reuther, Larry Itliong, Cesar Chavez, California

eclemens — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 09:15:14 -0400

AFL-CIO and AWOC members march in support of farm workers during the Delano strike, 1965.

Left to right: Larry Itliong; Michael Peevey, Research Director, California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO; Walter Reuther; unidentified; Cesar Chavez. Obscured behind the signs is Paul Schrade, head of UAW Region 6.

Source: United Auto Workers Collection

(24800) Demonstration, Washington Teachers Union, Local 6, AFT

jhelpap — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 13:43:45 -0400

Members of the Washington Teachers Union demonstration in solidarity with Farmworkers