Date Harvest Negotiations and Lettuce Renewal

The UFW worked with more than those who picked grapes. They also advocated for those who picked lettuce, dates, lemons, and strawberries. Without having a legal background and never having seen a contract before, in 1966 Huerta spent a week studying examples and negotiated the very first contract with Schenley Industries, the first victory of the grape strike and the farm workers' march from Delano to Sacramento in March, 1966. Even though she was initially unfamiliar with contracts, her negotiating skills and unyielding character at the bargaining table earned her the title “Dragon Lady.” By 1975 she had negotiated more than 100 contracts for the union.
Walter P. Reuther Library, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI