LBS 375

Sonia Flores
Wtalfuetzu de trabujo
Agricola (Wtal ugriculture
workforce)
Writing Assignment

Senia *teu-:
Pts Possible

Pts. Received

Formatting

10

lo

Mechanics

10

Readability/Organization 30

Content
.

100

go
(oo

Thesis '

_Evidence (sources)

_Detai

ls su pporting thesis

_Examples . ,,

Total

L50

rY

14\,

The agricultural system in California was worked by the hands, sweat, and tears

of

many different races and nationalities. Although growers (owners of the land) profited by
using many races and nationalities to gain profit, many of the agricultural workers did not
see much eamings

while working in the agribusiness. Frequently, immigrant/migrant

workers suffered in poor working conditions while they worked in the fields. When
growers no longer needed the services of their workers, whether they were immigrants or
non-immigrants, they were sent back to their country of origin. Therefore, California owes
much of its profit to all races and nationalities that worked in the agribusiness. In fact,

California agricultural system would not have become

a large scale industry

if not for

immigrant agricultural w'orkers who suffered from exploitation, poor working conditions,
repatriation, and difficulties organizing labor unions.

Authors Sucheng Chan and Spencer Olin writes, "Since the days of the Spanish
missions, the backbreaking work in California agriculture has been performed by the
people of color: first the California Indians. then the Californios, followed by the Chinese,

Japanese,Indians (from India), Koreans. Filipinos, and Mexicanos" (pg. 265). The authors
clearly state that much of Califomia's agricultural labor was performed by people of color
and does not share information as to whether growers endured any of the hard labor

in

order to help with their profits in their agribusiness. Hence, the agricultural system in

California and across the United States gained much of its profit through exploiting these
different races and nationalities. Factories in the Field author Carey McWilliams explained
that exploitation had been an occurring issue for many years and I would have to agree with

him. For instance, before Califomia began looking into starting fruit acreage the growers
needed a large supply of labor. There were many Chinese people that were presently

residing in Califomia. Hence, this allowed growers to selfishly use Chinese people to work

fruit acreages while earning very little wages. Wages were low for the Chinese because
glowers were competing with other associates who were profiting in large-scale wheat
production and using highly industrial methods. If not for the Chinese people being the first
to work the hard labor at very little pay. growers wouldn't have been able to start profiting

from fruit acreage agriculture. Author McWilliams writes, "It is quite apparent, therefore,
that the transition from w-heat to fruit acreage would have been delayed for a quarter of a

century, had it not been for the presence of the Chinese in California." (pg. 67) The
Chinese were not the only race/nationality group that were used in order for growers to

gain profit; however, they were the first of many to be exploited in the agricultural industry.

During the 1900s the agriculture indus@ continued to profit, while different races
and nationalities endlessly worked under tough, dirty, and unpleasant conditions.

Along

with exploitationmany races and nationalities suffered from poor and unjust working
conditions. Besides working for terrible wages,many immigrants suffered through
inhumane working environments. A documentary called "Viva la Causa" shares stories
about Mexican immigrants' experience working out in the fields. For instance, one

Mexican man shared his experience of working in extremely high climatic weather with

little, to no drinking water available. Other Mexican farm workers stated that they worked
more than eighteen hours a day. James Rorty reports that Mexicans oo...are worked under

frantic speed-up of the split-bench system from four in the moming until ten at night." (pg.

273) These horrible conditions and wages among the immigrant workers gave owners a
large-scale of profit to keep for themselves or to put back into their land.

Growers continued exploiting, as well as dictating, immigrant workers. Growers

were powerful and called the shots. They made decisions on how much immigrant workers
were paid, and what they themselves were not liable for. Hence immigrant workers were

given unfair labor contracts that were beneficial to the growers. Growers hired different
nationalities such as Mexicans, Filipinos, Chinese, and Japanese. The system of hiring
different races depended on the type of crop, location of the work, and the preference of the
grower; however, the dominant race in Califomia were Mexicans. They became the
dominant group because of several guest w'orking programs that were offered during labor
shortages in the U.S. What became hiring benefits for the growers was now a burden for

all immigrant workers. For instance, authors of "Major Problems in California History"
Chan and Olin argue that growers hired contractors (immigrant foreman) to oversee the

fields and immigrant workers while the grower was absent from the land. How is this
beneficial to the land owner? First and foremost, they were not accountable for mishaps on

their land and they were able to withhold wages as a safe haven even though contractors
diligently completed harvesting the crops. For example one of many key principal points in
the agricultural labor states, "...the contractor, not the grower, shall be liable under the

California Workmen's Compensation, Insurance and Safety Act for all injuries sustained
by laborers employed by the contractor in the harvesting of the crop." @g.267) Although
the contractor and his laborers had some favorable gains such as having a cooking area in
the house and in their living quarters, there were far more unjust liabilities for the contractor

than the grower. Ultimately, growers became rich offexploitation and held unjust liabilities

/
against both the contractors and immigrant laborers.

Growers knew the importance of having immigrants harvest their fields; however,
that did not cease the "pull and push" effect that California and across the U.S. had imposed

on immigrant workers. In fact, the majority of immigrants suffered from anti-immigrant

boycotts, which usually occurred during racial tensions and after WWI and

WMI. For

instance, the Chinese were the first to reside in Califomi4 assume the dominate role in

agriculture, and trnfornrnately, they were also the first to suffer from anti-immigrant
boycotts. However, in the late 1800s the Chinese Exclusion Act enforced the employment
ban of Chinese workers. This particular act occurred in order to restrict the flow of workers

coming to the U.S.; moreover, it was a scapegoat used to blame the Chinese for depressed
wages. Although the Chinese came to the U.S. freely and were not pulled from China, they
were pushed from continuing to contribute their work in agriculture. There were riots and
hardships in which the Chinese people had to face. Author Carey McWilliams writes,

"...

Rioting soon spread throughout the state. In Southem Californi4 at Compton, the Chinese
were barricaded in packing sheds where they were forced to sleep for safety, while

"hoodlums" raided their fields and drove out the Chinese." (pg. 75) Lawlessness swooped
down on the Chinese people by the whites. They suffered from being robbed, driven away

from their camps, or were physically harmed by the whites. Although the Chinese were the
first to succumb to hardships of the "pull and push" effect in the agricultural industry, they
were not the last

Like the Chinese, the Mexicans are another group of immigrant workers who

-----n

experienced the "pull and push" efflect. The Mexican immigrants were brought into

California under a guest worker program on two occasions. The first program occurred
during WWI because there was a shortage of migration happening in the U.S.; hence, the
demand of Mexican workers to

fill

the void increased. When the Great Depression arrived

the Mexican Repatriation followed. More than 500,000 Mexicans were deported or
pressured to leave. The other guest worker program also occurred during a war in the U.S.

The Bracero Program occurred during WWII because, once again, there were labor
shortages and Mexicans were needed to

fill

the void. In the same way, like the Chinese

who suffered hardship in the agribusiness. the Mexicans who participated in the Bracero
Program suffered too. The program did not end due to a better economy. rather it ended
because of the abuse and poor working conditions that the workers had suffered through at

the hands of the growers who hired them. Therefore, the Chinese and Mexicans were both

pulled into and pushed out of the agricultural business. Growers were well aware of how
significant immigrant workers were; they wanted to continue to exploit immigrant workers
for their benefit and profit from it at the same time. In the documentary "Viva La Causa"
Mexican immigrants stated that some growers had testified before congress, arguing that
Mexican labor was vital to the development ofthe agricultural industry. More importantly,

if not for immigrant workers, who worked when needed, the agricultural industry would
have taken a hit financially.

Many immigrant working groups had no voice or laws protecting them from the
growers. The continuous hardships took a toll on them for many years. Many growers tried

to stay a step ahead of the immigrants from standing together to fight back against the

inhumane and unjust conditions they were working under. Growers would go as far as
t

having contractors (immigrant foremen) hire different nationalities so that there were no
problems on their fields, or have it become a financial burden on their land. For example,
author Chan and Olin write, "Laborers speaking different languages and accustomed to
diverse standards of living and habits are not as likely to arrive at a mutual understanding

which would lead to strikes or other labor troubles during harvesting seasons, when work
intemrptions would result in serious financial losses to the growers." (pg.267) Although

immigrant workers had many differences, they became mindful of their wealth working in
the fields and they wanted change. Banning together to stop the inhumane working and

living conditions,

as

well

as poor w'ages, did not come easy

for the field workers. Author

McWilliarns shares accounts of vigilantes that came like a flock with "anti-foreign" (pg.
135) motivation to cause violence and intimidation against immigrant workers. In addition,

grower Frank Stokes recalls that when Mexicans began to strike, some vigilantes came to

violently stop the strikes. What is also disturbing is that reporters and law enforcement
would falsify stories about the violence occurring during the strikes in favor for the
growers, which showed that immigrant workers were unorganized and were violent people.
On one account of falsified information, SheriffJackson of Orange County states, "It was
the strikers themselves who drew first blood so from now on we will meet them on that
basis" {pg.275) Immigrant workers were persistent and continued to badtogether,
regardless of the falsifred information reporters, law enforcement, and growers were
broadcasting. Eventually the immigrant workers' efforts of fighting against the growers

exploitation, poor working conditions, and difficulties organizing labor unions had paid off.

For instance, the documentary "Viva La Causa" states that in 1962 Cesar Chavez and
Dolores Huerta joined the organizing efflorts of the Filipino Farm Workers and founded the

National Farm Workers Association (later to become United Farm Workers) in California.
This movement laid the groundwork for other farm worker unions and organizations.

All in all, the profits

gained from the agribusiness is solely due to immigrant

workers who shed their blood, sweat, and tears in order for a variety of crops to be
available for consumers. Also, because of such various labor rights movements, the

mentality of the oppressor has lessoned, if not disappeared in the agricultural environment.

It is because of the hardships experienced by the first generation of workers in the

agribusiness, that workers today have the opportunity to work without poor conditions or
endure exploitation. Today, workers have union rights to protect them, but more

importantly, they have a voice.