The Crusades of Cesar Chavez (88 page)

10
   “just plain folk”
Tape of Oct. 23, 1977, NEB, UFWA

11
   “life of the union”
Tape of Jun. 15–16, 1978, NEB, UFWA

12
   “don’t take one plugged nickel”
Tape of speech, Sep. 28, 1972, JEL Tape 107

13
   “things have changed”
Tape of Mar. 23–25, 1978, NEB, UFWA

14
   “thirteen-year-old cause”
Tape of Jun. 30–Jul.2, 1977, NEB

15
   phase out its subsidy
Woodcock to Chavez, Feb. 14, 1976, OOP2, Box 26, Folder 4

16
   60 percent of the union’s income
UFW 1977 LM2 report, U.S. Department of Labor

17
   “we don’t have a movement”
Tape of Mar. 14–16, 21, 1977, NEB

18
   “It is not helping people”
Hartmire notes, Hartmire papers

19
   “We’re all afraid”
Tape of Mar. 14–16, 21, 1977, NEB

20
   “disaster area”
Leo and Mary Jane Nieto to Hartmire, May 24, 1977, Hartmire papers

21
   “a real struggle”
Moyer to Hartmire, Jul. 11, 1978, Hartmire papers

22
   “don’t think much of the idea”
Richard Chavez to Cesar, Apr. 1, 1977, INFO, Box 5, Folder 36

23
   a royal greeting
Detailed itinerary of trip, OOP2, Box 36, Folder 8; DH, Box 19, Folder 21

24
   “a hell of a lot better”
Bernard Wideman, “Cesar Chavez Hails Philipine’s Rule,”
Washington Post
,
Jul. 29, 1977

25
   “clear the record”
Higgins to Chavez, Jul. 29, 1977, AALA, Folder 1977

26
   “Ninety percent support”
Tape of Chavez talking to NY boycotters, n.d., UFWA

27
   “Mistakes were made”
Moyer to Hartmire, Sep. 19, 1977, Hartmire papers

28
   “I did not praise martial law”
Gerard Sherry,
Monitor
, Oct. 27, 1977

29
   “don’t own your own soul”
Higgins, JEL, Box 37, Folder 743

30
   “We’re experimenting”
Tape of Jun. 30–Jul. 2, 1977, NEB

31
   “everyone’s in the garden”
Tape of Mar. 14–16, 21, 1977, NEB

32
   “our dream is a Poor Peoples Union”
Transcript of Ross speech, May 1977, Ross papers, Box 1, Folder 8

Chapter 32

Sources: Tapes of NEB meetings, Mar. 14–16, 21, Jun. 30–Jul. 2, 1977; Drake oral histories on FMDP; Ganz, “Plan for the Vegetable Industry”; author interviews with Cohen, Ganz, Hartmire, Medina, and Esther and Gilbert Padilla.

1
   “come to the crossroads”
Tape of Mar. 14–16, 21, 1977, NEB, UFWA

2
   “incapable of moving”
Ibid.

3
   “I give an order”
Ibid.

4
   “What is our union business?”
Chavez to staff, Jul. 13, 1977, OOP2, Box 18, Folder 44

5
   “I’m rotting away”
Drake to Chavez, Jul. 1977, OOP2, Box 18, Folder 44

6
   “being absolutely incredulous”
Tape of Jun. 30–Jul. 2, 1977, NEB, UFWA

7
    “part of history”
Tape of Mar. 14–16, 21, 1977, NEB

8
    “shadow of the law”
Ibid.

9
    He opened the meeting
Tape of Jun. 30–Jul. 2, 1977, NEB

10
    “I used to do that”
Ibid.

11
   one-sentence oath
Copy of oath, UFW 1986 Accession, Box 54

12
   signed the oath
Tape of Jun. 30–Jul. 2, 1977, NEB

13
   a love letter
Tape of Jun. 30–Jul.2, 1977, NEB, and interviews with Esther Padilla, Gilbert Padilla, and Hartmire

14
   Chavez’s infidelities
Based on interviews with more than a dozen key union staff members who lived in Delano and La Paz between 1964 and 1988.

15
   “a natural attraction”
Tape of organizing conference, 1967, Yinger archive, on FMDP

16
   “My marriage is on the rocks”
Tape of Jun. 30–Jul.2, 1977, NEB

17
   Cesar prepared notes
“My Marriage Meeting,” Jul. 4, 1977, UFW 1986 Accession, Box 54

18
   “she is just so damn real”
Tape of Helen’s birthday, Jan. 1978, La Paz, UFWA

19
   “most productive in the movement’s history”
President’s Newsletter, Jul. 22, 1977, in possession of author

Chapter 33

Sources: Tapes of NEB meetings, Mar. 23–25, Apr. 3–5, Jun. 15–16, 25, 1978; Govea and Hartmire papers; Kirsten Zerger journals; author interviews with Cohen, Dalzell, Ganz, Hartmire, Medina, Nathan, Rutkowski, and Tramutola.

1
   told Jacques Levy
Levy notes Sep. 23, 1973, JEL, Box 6, Folder 205

2
   Ganz responded
Ganz to Chavez, Feb. 27, 1978, Govea papers

3
   “He’s not your father”
Tape of Mar. 23–25, 1978, NEB, UFWA

4
   “Let me run union”
Chavez notes, OOP 2, Box 18, Folder 16

5
   “Let’s go play”
Tape of Apr. 3–5, 1978, NEB, UFWA

6
   “prune them ruthlessly”
Chavez report to convention, Aug. 26, 1977, OOP2, Box 38, Folder 19

7
   “It’s a mistake”
Tape of Jun. 15–16, 1978, NEB, UFWA

8
   “guys that have words”
Tape of Jun. 30–Jul. 2, 1977, NEB, UFWA

9
   “brown-nosing ‘moonies
’
”
Hartmire to Esther Winterrowd, May 8, 1978, Hartmire papers

10
    “The Holy War”
Mitchell, “The Light on Synanon,” 264

11
   “an armed camp”
Tape of Apr. 4, 1978, NEB, UFWA

12
   $63,000 worth of guns
“What’s Happening Inside Synanon?”
Los Angeles Times
, Jan. 31, 1978

13
   “we don’t want to pay wages”
Tape of Mar. 14–16, 21, 1977, NEB, UFWA

14
   stared in silence
Interview with Rutkowski, who was in the car

15
   opened the June board meeting
Tape of Jun. 15–16, 1978, NEB

16
   
“
‘blackmail
’
”
Villarino to Chavez, Jun. 23, 1978, OOP2, Box 36, Folder 26

17
   “I’m a leader”
Tape of Jun. 25, 1978, NEB, UFWA

18
   “Paying salaries, how stupid”
Hartmire notes from conversations with Chavez, Jul. 8 and 12, 1978, Hartmire papers

19
   “revising history so soon”
Zerger diary, Sep. 6, 1978, courtesy of Zerger

20
   “union has to make this transition”
Chris to Pudge Hartmire, Feb. 1, 1978, Hartmire papers

21
   five hundred suicides
Zerger diary, Nov. 22, 1978

22
   “He didn’t need to come”
Nathan memo, Jun. 4, 1979, courtesy of Nathan

23
   an elaborate graduation
Tape of negotiators’ graduation, Nov. 11, 1978, UFWA

Chapter 34

Sources: Tapes of NEB meetings, Sep. 15–18 and Dec. 1978, Mar. 11, Apr. 22, Jun., and Aug. 11, 1979; tape of Aug. 11, 1979, meeting with workers; transcript of 1979 UFW convention; Govea and Hartmire papers; author interviews with Chava Bustamante, Mario Bustamante, Cohen, Ganz, Hubbard, Laue, Lopez, Nassif, Gilbert Padilla, and Washburn.

1
   quoted passages verbatim
Tape of Jun. 13–15, 1975, NEB, UFWA

2
   “they’ll try to hustle you”
Tape of Chavez and students, May 15, 1978, UFWA

3
   “ticking time bomb”
Ann Smith to Chavez, Jul. 1978, report on negotiations, in possession of author

4
   “serious trouble”
Tape of Sep. 10, 1978, meeting, UFWA

5
   had lost two-thirds
Tape of Sep. 15–18, 1978 NEB, UFWA

6
   “save those contracts”
Tape of Sep. 10, 1978, meeting

7
   “If they beat us”
Tape of Dec. 1978 NEB, UFWA

8
   The moderate faction
Dalzell to Cohen, Oct. 26, 1978, Dalzell papers

9
   losses totaled $2 million
“Chavez Taunts Growers,”
Los Angeles Times
,
Feb. 2, 1979. In fact, UC Berkeley economists later concluded Imperial Valley growers had record profits. The price of lettuce increased nearly 400 percent. Growers—with the exception of Sun Harvest—had formed a strike insurance cooperative though a Bermuda firm, which protected the struck growers against losses.

10
   “a dream realized”
Los Angeles Times
, Feb. 2, 1979

11
   “Mi papi! Mi papi!”
“7,000 Attend Funeral Mass,”
Los Angeles Times
, Feb. 15, 1979

12
   “My job is in the cities”
Los Angeles Times
, Feb. 2, 1979

13
   “Money’s not coming in”
Tape of Jun. 1979 NEB, UFWA

14
   Denison said
Tape of fund-raiser in NYC, Apr. 1979, UFWA

15
   unpaid bills and a reported stolen car
UFW
Work Department Papers, Box 2, Folder 22; OOP2, Box 44, Manuel Chavez folder

16
   “Dear Manuel”
Cesar to Manuel Chavez, Oct. 10, 1975, UFW 1986 Accession, Box 15

17
   “two cliques”
Tape of Mar. 11, 1979, NEB, UFWA

18
   “You’re kidding!”
Tape of Apr. 22, 1979, NEB, UFWA

19
   “I love the boycott”
Ibid.

20
   “strike has lost its punch”
Tape of Chavez and staff, Jun. 1979, UFWA

21
   “Lone rangers”
Tape of Dec. 1978 NEB, UFWA

22
   “talk to Richard”
Tape of Feb. 16, 1976, NEB, UFWA

23
   “whipping girl”
Huerta to Levy, JEL Box 5, Folder 184

24
   “Why do you lie?”
Tape of Jun. 1979 NEB

25
   wreaking havoc
“UFW Clash in Salinas,”
Fresno Bee
, Jun. 12, 1979

26
   “a mistake”
Tape of Jun. 1979 NEB

27
   “My gut feeling”
Ibid.

28
   “boycott of Chiquita bananas”
Chavez to supporters, Jul. 27, 1979, OOP3, Box 32, Folder 29

29
   The marchers
Accounts of the march in the
Fresno Bee
and
Salinas Californian
, Aug. 7–11, 1979

30
   “The union is broke”
Tape of Aug. 11, 1979, NEB, followed by meeting with workers, UFWA

31
   “Fasten your seatbelts”
Transcript of UFW 1979 Convention, Aug. 12, 1979, in possession of author

32
   “inflationary increase”
“Broccoli Grower, UFW OK Pact,”
Los Angeles Times
, Sep. 11, 1979

33
   “going to the dentist”
Tape of Dec. 1979 NEB, UFWA

34
   reacted with enthusiasm
Tape of Feb. 16–21, 1976, NEB

35
   air of desperation
Tape of Dec. 1979 NEB

36
    “These guys are forgotten”
Ibid.

Chapter 35

Sources: Transcript of 1981 UFW convention; tapes of NEB meetings, Dec. 1979, Jun. 1980; tape of May 1980 conference; Hartmire papers; MCOP Archives; author interviews with Adair, Barry, Bustamante, Cohen, Devereux, Ganz, Gutierrez, Hartmire, Lopez, Pelayo, Renteria, Tramutola, and Washburn.

1
   “Always ask questions”
Tape of conference, May 19–23, 1980, UFWA