Cesar Chavez Delano Grape Boycott Poster “Join the Grape Strike in Greater Los Angeles in 1970…Boycott Non-Union Grapes”

“Join the Grape Strike in Greater Los Angeles in 1970…Boycott Non-Union Grapes” United Farm Workers Organizing Committee. 1970. Broadside Poster 11” x 8.5”. On September 8, 1965, one of the most important strikes to the American working class was set in motion that would last over the next five years. Over 2,000 Filipino-American grape pickers sought the support from Mexican-American founder of the National Farm Workers Association Cesar Chavez. Through years of struggle between laborers and farm-owners, it was in July of 1970 when the union called for the boycott of table grapes. In this poster, Chavez is shown in a black and white photograph holding (truncated) the United Farm Workers “Huelga” flag, alongside other protesters. The poster calls to “...boycott against non-union grapes until they win bargaining rights for all grape workers.” Before the publishing of this poster, growers agreed upon contracts with UFWOC, however, the fight was not over as it quotes “But most table grape growers still refuse to recognize the rights of their workers.” At the bottom text in bold, it refers to the two part pledge card against non-union grapes. It asks people to send them to their local grocers in order to sway the chain stores support for supplying only union grapes. It was with efforts such as these that individual households stopped buying grapes, and union workers in California dockyards let non-union grapes rot in port rather than load them. When the industry saw its market collapsing, major Delano growers agreed to increase worker’s pay, contribute to the union health plan, and ensure that their workers were protected against pesticides used in the fields. Chavez’s acts during this five year struggle, such as; leading a 300 mile march from Delano to Sacramento, partaking in a hunger strike emulating his hero Mahatma Gandhi, and vowing for non-violent persistence gained notoriety from figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. Subtle tanning to edges, text is clean and legible. Overall very good condition. (Inventory #: 18458)