U.S. Farm Workers

We as people who live above the lower class do not ever stop to think about the farmworkers who help us by providing work in the fields, and the pain they endure to gather food so that we can have food in the grocery stores or food on our plate. a farmworker is someone who is hired to work int he agricultureal industry. they work on farms, family businesses and even large industrial operations.

farm workers face many obstacles int he United States and is one of the biggest labor groups int he world. Since a farmworkers job is seasonal there is insecurity among farm workers and can inhibit them  from organizing effectively for better working conditions. they deal with adequate wages, housing, food, working conditions, health care and the poor quality of life for their families.

 Ceasar Estrada Chavez was an American farm worker, labor leader,a nd civil rights activist who was one of the people who in 1962 co-founded the National Farm Workers Association along with Dolores Huerta. As a Mexican American, Chavez is best known till this day as the Latino civil rights activist.

In the artical, The story of Cesar Chavez, they said By 1970 the UFW got grape growers to accept union contracts and had effectively organized most of that industry, at one point in time claiming 50,000 dues paying members. The reason was Cesar Chavez's tireless leadership and nonviolent tactics that included the Delano grape strike, his fasts that focused national attention on farm workers problems, and the 340-mile march from Delano to Sacramento in 1966. The farm workers and supporters carried banners with the black eagle with HUELGA (strike) and VIVA LA CAUSA (Long live our cause). The marchers wanted the state government to pass laws which would permit farm workers to organize into a union and allow collective bargaining agreements. Cesar made people aware of the struggles of farm workers for better pay and safer working conditions. He succeeded through nonviolent tactics (boycotts, pickets, and strikes). Cesar Chavez and the union sought recognition of the importance and dignity of all farm workers.

This is a picture of Cesar Chavez

Reader Response Dubious Battle

In my reading of, In Dubious Battle,  by John Steinbeck, I found this book to be a turn page by page without any hesitation of putting it down due to sleepy eyes, boredom , or plain uninterested feelings. I enjoyed this book so much that I couldnt wait to wake up and continue my reading. I found myself imagining and picturing the scenery, the era, the people that was spoken about, the main characters, etc.

I felt there were many characters in the book that stood out but the two that stood out the most was John Nolan and Mac McLeod. John Nolan's character was more of a follower in the book, but with a deep sense of leadership just waiting to come out and take charge of everything. John was the new member of a political development which was the main theme of the story. Mac McLeod, more of a mentor to john and somewhat the closest thing to him than family that he had lost long ago was a character who was not only a mentor but who was the leader behind the scenes, someone who organized the movement that took place for the apple pickers.

In the beginning of the book, John Nolan was ready to change his path in life, leaving everything in the past which he had already lost and be apart of something that made a difference. He went to Mr Nilson's office to apply for the Party. After speaking with Mr. Nilson who finds himself in the present of the son of Roy Nolan. It seems that his fathers name, and history made a difference in his application and John was enlisted into the party. He was taken to a place where there were other men all sharing a space and there is where he met his mentor Mac McLeod.

Together they were inseperatable in the book, it was a father and son bond in my mind, but in the book it was a mentor and the follower looking to answers to questions trying to gain as much knowledge and experience as possible to help in anyway possible. Mac takes John on his first mission to a town where apple pickers were loosing a good amount of pay for their pickings. Together they accomplish many things with the help of other party members to get a picket started. There were many tasks needed and with the help of people who believe in the party they were able to get the apple pickers together and unite them as one group instead of individuals.

They meet a lot of characters along the way who are in the dark of the movement by helping with food, medicine, and money to help the men along their journey for their rights.