Delano Grape Strike

The Delano Grape Strike was a pivotal event in the history of labor and civil rights in the United States. It began in 1965 when a group of Filipino grape workers in Delano, California, led by labor leader Larry Itliong, went on strike to demand better wages and working conditions from their employers.

Itliong and his fellow Filipino workers formed the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC), which was later joined by Mexican-American workers led by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta and their National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) organization. The two groups joined forces to form the United Farm Workers (UFW) and launched a massive strike against the grape growers of Delano.

The strike lasted for more than five years and drew international attention, with support pouring in from all over the world. It was a long and difficult struggle, with many setbacks and conflicts, but eventually, the grape growers agreed to recognize the union and negotiate a contract with the workers.

The Delano Grape Strike was significant not only for the gains it made in improving the lives of farm workers but also for the way it brought together workers of different ethnicities and backgrounds. Larry Itliong played a crucial role in the strike, using his experience as a labor leader to rally workers and negotiate with employers