United Farm Workers

Hello! We are the United Farm Workers, which is a long name, so many people call us the UFW for short. Have you ever eaten a sweet strawberry or a crunchy carrot? The people who grow and pick those fruits and vegetables are called farmworkers. They work very hard in the fields under the sun to make sure we all have delicious food to eat. We are a special kind of team called a union. Our job is to help make sure all farmworkers are treated fairly.

For a very long time, farmworkers faced many problems. They worked long hours but did not get paid very much money. The places where they worked were not always safe. It was hard for them to ask for things to be better because they were not working together as one big group. We were formed to help change that and give farmworkers a strong voice.

Our story began in California in the year 1962. Two important leaders, Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, saw how hard the farmworkers' lives were. They knew that if the workers joined together, they could be much stronger. So, Cesar and Dolores started our union to help them. Our goals were simple but very important: we wanted to fight for better pay so workers could take care of their families, and we wanted to make sure their jobs were safer. Most of all, we wanted every single worker to be treated with the kindness and respect they deserved.

In 1965, we helped lead a very famous event that showed everyone how powerful it can be when people work together. It was called the Delano Grape Strike. At that time, the people who owned the big grape farms were not treating the workers fairly. So, the farmworkers decided to go on strike, which means they peacefully stopped picking grapes. This was a brave thing to do because it meant they would not get paid. They did it to send a clear message that things needed to change.

But we didn't stop there. We also asked people all over the country for their help. We asked them to join a boycott, which meant we asked them to please stop buying grapes at the store until the farmworkers were treated better. When people stopped buying grapes, the farm owners started to listen. This peaceful strike and boycott lasted for five whole years. It took a lot of patience and courage from the workers and their supporters.

After five years of hard work, we saw a wonderful change! The grape growers finally agreed to give the workers better pay and create safer working conditions. It showed that when people stand together for what is right, they can make a big difference. Today, our work continues. We still help farmworkers all across the country. If you ever see our symbol, a black eagle, you will know what it stands for. It is a symbol of hope and strength. We believe that by working together, we can help make the world a fairer place for everyone.