UFW timeline

United Farm Workers Timeline (part 1)

1959

1962

1965

1966

1952

The NFWA joins a grape strike started by the AWOC

The NFWA and the AWOC officially merge

The NFWA is founded

Cezar Chavez begins work with the CSO

The AWOC is founded

The Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee is formed. It is a mostly Filipino organization, and is part of the AFL-CIO.

The National Farm Workers Association is formed by Chavez after leaving the CSO. It predominately consists of Mexican-Americans.

Chavez is recruited by the Community Service Organization, and begins his career in activism. This is where he learns how to organize, and how to lead a movement

After almost a year of striking together, the AWOC and the NFWA officially merge to form the UFW. Cezar Chavez becomes the president, and Larry Itlong of the AWOC necomes the vice president.

The AWOC begin a strike seeking better wages for Delano area grape pickers. The NFWA join the strike shortly later, changing the goal to full union recongition

United Farm Workers Timeline (part 2)

1970

1962

1977

1993

1969

The UFW join a lawsuit seeking a ban on DDT

Cezar Chavez dies

Delano grape growers sign union contracts

The EPA bans DDT

Conflicts between Chavez and UFW staff leads to turnover

Partly due to pressure from the UFW and envinrmental organizations, the EPA bans DDT. However, this only increases the proliferation of more dangerous organophosphate pesticides

CIn this year Chavez and the UFW legal team clash about pay, and the legal team experiences significant turnover. This repeats in other areas.

Delano grape growers concede defeat to the UFW, and sign union contracts. This officially recongizes the UFW as a union, and gives workers a significant pay increase and better safety protections.

Cezar Chavez dies in his sleep at 66. It is likely his extensive fasting in support of the UFW contributed to his early death.

The UFW joins the Envirnmental Defense Fund in a lawsuit against the USDA, seeking a ban on DDT. In the same year, a health survey of Califonia farm laborers had found that 71% showed signs of pesiticde poisoning