The Strikers of Coachella: A Rank-and-File History of the UFW Movement

The UFW has had a tenacious hold on the country's imagination, but the full story of the women, men, and children who powered this social movement has not yet been told. This stirring history spans from the 1960s and 1970s through the union's decline in the early 1980s, and emphasizes the struggle inherent in organizing a particularly vulnerable labor force.

Format: Hardback
Length: 412 pages
Publication date: 10 January 2023
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press

The United Farm Workers (UFW) has had a lasting impact on the country's imagination over the past decades. Since 2008, the UFW has been a prominent voice in presidential campaigns, inspiring numerous books, documentaries, and films. However, the complete story of the women, men, and children who drove this social movement has yet to be fully explored.

To shed light on this untold chapter, Filipino farm workers, bracero workers, and UFW volunteers across the United States have contributed over 250 hours of original oral history interviews. This comprehensive history spans from the 1960s and 1970s to the union's decline in the early 1980s. Christian O. Paiz, in his book, "The Contingent Life of Rank-and-File Agency: The United Farm Workers, 1965-1980," delves into the challenges of organizing a vulnerable labor force, particularly during a time when many powerful labor unions were facing decline.

Paiz emphasizes the importance of recognizing the radical contingency of rank-and-file agency, which often exceeded individual intentions. By listening to the voices of ordinary farmworkers and volunteers, Paiz reveals that the UFW's story is more about the collision between larger anti-union currents of the era and the aspirations of the rank-and-file.

This book offers a fresh perspective on the UFW, challenging traditional narratives and highlighting the contributions of ordinary people who played a crucial role in shaping the history of labor movements. It is a valuable addition to the literature on social movements and provides a deeper understanding of the complexities and struggles of organizing a diverse and marginalized workforce.

Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781469671697