Love and Labor Movements

In the past couple of months, a group called Occupy or (un) Occupy Wall Street has made national news in this country as they protest the abuses of big banks and lending institutions. There is even a faction in the UNM area of Albuquerque. Like others we have witnessed through the years, it is a movement to peacefully protest and ultimately change the status quo. It brings back memories of another non-violent movement, one led by Cesar Chavez in the 1960s and 70s.

Cesar Chavez was born on March 31, 1927 in Yuma, Arizona and raised during the poverty of the Great Depression. His Catholic parents raised him to remember that there was always room for one more at their dinner table. After losing their home and business, the Chavez family moved to California and became migrant farm workers. The family would pick peas and lettuce in the winter, cherries and beans in the spring, corn and grapes in the summer, and cotton in the fall.

As an adult, Chavez served in the Navy during World War II. After the war, he met a priest who ministered to the Mexican and Mexican-American migrant workers. The priest shared with Chavez the Catholic teachings concerning the rights of workers, which intrigued Chavez, who became determined to learn more. As a result of what he learned, he soon became active in drives for voter registration and in countering abuses against working immigrants. The primary concerns were higher wages for the grossly underpaid workers and stopping the use of toxic pesticides on grapes, a practice which endangered the health of everyone in and around the vineyards.
Influenced by the Catholic tradition of doing penance, part of Chavez’ nonviolent protest against the injustices was praying and fasting, often for weeks.

His organizing efforts were instrumental in the creation of the United Farm Workers Union. To get growers to recognize the union and listen to their concerns, Chavez used the strategy of consumer boycotts. At one point, millions of Americans supported the grape boycott. Chavez eventually got the United States’ bishops to intervene and mediate the conflict. The nationwide support was in part due to Chavez’ nonviolent approach, which publicized and made the farm workers’ struggle a moral cause.

Having educated himself in the social teaching of the Church, Cesar Chavez was led by his Catholic faith to improve the lives and livelihood of America’s farm workers.