Reel 35

Scope and Contents From the Collection: Consist of correspondence, reports, ledgers, legal documents, leaflets, printed material, photographs, and newspapers published by the union. These document the activities of the Southern Tenant Farmers' Union from its origins through its transformations into the National Farm Labor Union in 1946 and the National Agriculture Workers Union in 1952, and through its merger with the Amalgamated Meat Cutters Union in 1960. The records also contain selected materials from the Socialist Party...

Scope and Contents The operation of the US Employment Service in California is the main topic in the papers for this Spring. See especially the long reports on NFLU organization in California is the main topic in the papers for this Spring. See especially the long reports on NFLU organization in California from staff members Galarza, Hasiwar, and Becker (April 6, 7, 10, n.d.), and an exchange between Mitchell and both Secretary of Labor Maurice J. Tobin and USES Director Robert C. Goodwin on the bracero...

Scope and Contents The President's Commission on Migrant Labor began to hold hearings on July 13; the papers include statements by the National Consumers League and the CIO (July 13), the NFLU (July 14), and a lengthy statement by Ernesto Galarza entitled "American and Foreign Farm Workers in California" (August 12). See also the letters from Mitchell to his organizers advising them on a strategy in dealing with the Commission (July 21, 25), and a letter from Texas organizer George F. Webber describing his...

Scope and Contents The union called a strike of 3,500 tomato pickers at Tracy, California during September; the progress of the strike may be followed in the letters and telegrams from Ernesto Galarza. An NFLU strike which involved 20,000 California cotton pickers took place in October, but the only information on it appears in a press release announcing the settlement of the strike (Oct 30). Other items of special interest include: an NFLU Farm Labor Supply Agreement (Sept 7); a letter from Secretary of State...

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There is a great deal of correspondence from Ernesto Galarza, including two letters to Dr. Varden Fuller of the President's Commission on Migrant Labor on the Mexican immigration problem (Nov. 28, 30) and a long report on the Imperial Valley (Dec. 31). The papers include a report by Rev. Arthur C. Churchill on his work as Minister to Farm Labor in the Mid-South (Nov. 18), and the testimony of Mitchell to an unidentified government loyalty board on behalf of Val Lorwin (Dec. 20).

Scope and Contents "The Condition of Farm Workers in 1950", a report by NSF Executive Secretary Beth Biderman; NFLU pamphlet, "A Letter to Shed Workers Affiliated with FTA"; exhibits submitted to the President's Commission on Migrant Labor; statements to the President's Commission by Leon B. Schachter and William Green; minority report of the Sub-Committee of the House Education and Labor Committee investigating the Di Giorgio strike; draft o fNFLU local union by-laws; "Analysis of Work Performed by Organizers...

Scope and Contents Negotiations between the United States and Mexico on the renewal of the International Executive Agreement on Migratory Labor began on January 26; on this subject, see the detailed reports from Ernesto Galarza in Mexico City (Jan. 27 to Feb. 12) and two NFLU press releases (Jan 26; Feb. 7). A massive NFLU organizing drive began in the Imperial Valley of California; see especially an exchange between Mitchell and Galarza on strategy (Jan 10, 17), and letters from organizer Hank Hasiwar to the...

Scope and Contents The papers contain an abundance of material on the Imperial Valley campaign, including: a lengthy report by Galarza on the Valley (March 12); a report listing the individual growers accused of violating the US-Mexican Agreement, with attached correspondence between the NFLU and various government officials on the problem (March 29); and an NFLU press release on the union's demands to the Imperial Valley Farmers Association (April 27). There are reports from Galarza and Texas organizer George...

Scope and Contents From May 23 to June 25, the NFLU led a strike of 6,000 fruit and vegetable workers in the Imperial Valley in an effort to win collective bargaining and an end to the exploitation of "wetback" labor. A voluminous number of letters, telegrams, and press releases throughout both months details the progress of the strike. The failure of the Department of Labor to remove "wetbacks" who were serving as strikebreakers became a major issue in the strike. Documents of special interest include: a copy...