What were at that time among the largest agricultural strikes ever held in this country began during 1933’s harvest season in California’s massive food industry among sugar beet harvesters and orchard workers. The strike grew, centered in the San Joaquin Valley, when over 10,000 laborers on cotton ranches joined the wave that October. Led by the T.U.U.L.’s Cannery & Agricultural Workers Industrial Union, it was among the most important of all the ‘Red Union’-led strikes, and was also notable for being multi-racial and lingual, with many Japanese, Mexican and Filipino workers. A strike, really many different strikes, of high drama and real stakes, where people were killed, hundreds arrested and evicted, while many too were also radicalized. And the larger labor movement, politics of California, and growing Communist Party were all changed in the process. Below are notices from the C.P.’s Western Worker on the first weeks of the strikes.

‘Strikes Sweep California Fields; 6,500 Already Out’ from Western Worker. Vol. 2 No. 34 & 35. August 21 & 28, 1933.

Filipino Misleaders Try To Prevent United Fight; 1200 Out at Oxnard Growers Call For Troops; Demands Are 30-35 Cents Per Hour; Agricultural Workers Industrial Union Leads; Calpack Ranches Out

As we go to press reports arrive of a strike wave extending from San Diego as far up as Chico. Governor Rolph was asked for troops. Adjutant General Seth Howard advised the districts affected that in the meantime they should use the national guard forces in the districts. The growers are panic stricken as the huge crops face destruction unless they will submit to the demands of the workers for a wage upon which it is possible to exist.

From Merced comes the report that most of 600 at the Tuttle Ranch of the California Packing Corporation came out and most of the others are fast being pulled out. The Atwater Ranch is likewise coming out and about 2000 are expected to be out in all, after pickets cover the entire vicinity. The people of Merced are sympathetic to the strikers and are helping with food.

From Salinas it is reported that the Filipino workers in the lettuce and beet fields are called out this morning. Three thousand will be effected. The leaders around Carongay who want to confine the struggle to Filipinos alone are fast becoming discredited among the rank and file, by the members of the Cannery and Agricultural Workers Industrial Union. The workers are called for united action with the Mexican, Japanese and white workers, and for a broad strike committee representing all camps.

The latest from the Oxnard beet strikers is that they are continuing in full solidarity. Adjacent districts are being organized. The bosses so far accede to only three of the nine demands. Three hundred already joined the C. & A.W.I.U.

Today 1,000 strikers including Mexican and Filipinos, paraded in front of the Oxnard police station, in protest of the Sheriff compelling 13 to go to work by force. The chief of police in a demagogic gesture promised to “prefer charges against the sheriff.” The scabs were forced to quit.

The Mexican Consul has been thoroughly exposed among the workers, who cheered the C. & A.W.I.U.

From the Chico district came the report that agricultural union leaders were arrested in a desperate attempt to forestall the mass meeting called for Friday, at Gridley. National Guard troops are asked for.

The strike at the Tagus Ranch in Tulare is a complete tie-up and the scab-herders admit that all efforts to get scabs in Los Angeles and other parts proved fruitless.

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OXNARD, Calif., Aug. 10. With more than 1200 beet field workers out on strike in Ventura County since Monday morning, the Cannery and Agricultural Workers Industrial Union reports that many additional Filipino workers are expected to join the Mexican workers on strike today.

No beets are coming in from the fields, and the factory, which normally employed 600, is now almost at a stop. The AWIU has issued at call to the factory workers to join the field workers in their strike.

The demands of the strikers is for a 50% increase in wage when working by tonnage in companies; for a minimum wage of 35c an hour for general farm and factory work; and an 8-hour day for farm and factory work; and for recognition of the union. In addition the strikers are demanding the elimination of labor contractors and that hiring shall be done through the union, regular Saturday paydays, and that no discrimination be practised against any workers for nationality or for membership in the AWIU or the Filipino Protective Union.

More than 700 of the strikers crowded into the headquarters last night to hear the report of the Strike Committee on the answer of the Beet Growers Ass’n to their demands. The Growers had refused to hear the committee, saying: “We have no time to speak with these Mexican peons.” The meeting voted unanimously to continue the strike until they won. Six labor contractors present signed an agreement with the union not to go back to work, but to stick with the strikers.

Picketing of the fields continues. Two pickets, Joe Moreno and Valente Baskes, were arrested yesterday morning. A branch of the International Labor Defense was immediately formed for aiding strike prisoners. Moreno was released late last night.

Sympathy of ranchers generally is favorable to some of the demands. Mayor Ed Gill, of Oxnard, himself a beet grower, came to strike headquarters last night to say the growers had agreed to eliminate the contractors and pay last year’s scale–but refused to recognize the union. He came “unofficially,” he declared and would make no statement as to when this offer, if accepted, would become effective.

STRIKE TIES UP SAN DIEGO TOMATO, CHILI FIELDS: AWIU LEADS

Many Joining Union in Fight For 35c An Hour; Hancock Arrested

SAN DIEGO, Calif., Aug. 9. Striking against the 16c an hour. 9-hour day offered, between 300 and 400 tomato and chili pickers have left the fields in San Luis Rey and Vista Valleys, under leadership of the Agricultural Workers Industrial Union.

The strikers are demanding 35c an hour and an 8-hour day and recognition of the union.

Latest news reports that no fields in the two valleys are working. The solidarity of the workers and their militancy is splendid, following two recent mass meetings held by the union. At Carlsbad Tuesday night 82 pickers joined the union. Stanley Hancock, strike leader, was arrested in Vista early this morning. Bail of $250 was raised by the International Labor Defense.

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750 PEAR PICKERS STRIKE: TIE UP SAN JOSE REGION,

Workers Picket and Won’t Fall For Sheriff’s Trick

SAN JOSE, Aug. 14. Seven hundred and fifty pear pickers came out on strike this morning, effecting 90% on the ranches. A picket line was out for an hour and a half, and it is expected that the rest will be out soon.

The strikers are demanding an 8-hour day, at 30 cents per hour, recognition of the union and ranch committees of the workers. At present the workers are getting 15-20 cents per hour.

The sheriff is mobilizing deputies, and has informed the workers that “according to the code they have no right to picket.” But the strike leaders informed him that the agricultural workers are not even included in Roosevelt’s NRA, much less has any code been adopted that effects them.

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CHICO PEACH CUTTERS FORM AWIU; STRIKE FOR HIGHER PAY

Turn Spontaneous Strike Into Organized Action

CHICO, Calif., Aug. 12. Practically all of the 180 men, women, and children in the Bidwell cutting sheds struck here this morning against the wages of 5c and 6c a lug box for cutting peaches, and 10c an hour for day work. Thirty-one joined the Cannery and Agricultural Workers Industrial Union on the job.

A spontaneous strike Friday morning was crystallized into organized action at a meeting that night, with more than 100 present. A strike was voted and demands were drawn up for 271⁄2c an hour for women and 30c an hour for men, on an 8-hour day, 10c a box for freestone and 15c a box for cling peaches, better sanitary conditions and recognition of the C. and A.W.I.U.

Police called to the sheds were unable to force the determined workers back. This is the first strike here in many years.

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500 At Gridley Meet Of Agricultural Workers Union

GRIDLEY, Calif., Aug. 12. In one of the largest meetings this town has seen, more than 500 agricultural workers attended a mass meeting called by the Cannery and Agricultural Workers Industrial Union in the city park here last night. Twenty of them joined the union, and all pledged to rally a greater number for the next meeting, this Friday night, August 18. Alarmed at the huge turnout, the bosses have resorted to setting fires in an effort to turn public sympathy against the union.

‘Ranch Strikers Win Big Gains’ from Western Worker. Vol. 2 No. 35. August 28, 1933.

Oxnard Growers Try Terror to Force Strikers into Fake Union; Grape Pickers Present Demands–Tagus Ranch Workers Force Bosses To Negotiate With Fighting Union; Almost All Joined–Filipino and Mexican Misleaders Try To Split Ranks But Fail To Break Solidarity of Strikers

25-Cent Rate Is Only Start, Says Lambert of TUUL.

Frank MacDonald, State Labor Commissioner, declared that the 25 cents per hour rate for agricultural workers “has been recognized and established as equable.” He and Timothy Reardon, director of the Department of Industrial Relations, are kept jumping from one strike region to another, settling matters as favorable as possible for the growers.

But Walter Lambert, District Organizer of the Trade Union Unity League, just back from” the strike field, declared that although the 25-cent rate is a victory amounting in cases to as much as 100% increase, it is far from adequate yet, and is only a start in the fight for a living wage, which the agricultural union is leading.

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3000 OXNARD WORKERS PROTEST POLICE ATTACK

Cheer Agricultural Workers Union; Ranks Solid

BULLETIN

OXNARD, Aug. 20. Twenty more strikers were arrested, many being pulled out of their homes without a warrant. Some were beaten up and urged by the police to join the scab-herding organization formed by the Chamber of Commerce and the Mayor. All the property and treasury of the Agricultural Workers Industrial Union was confiscated.

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OXNARD

Aug. 18. Three thousand workers demonstrated last night to protest the action of the police on Thursday, who threw gas bombs at the strikers, and arrested and beat six of the strike leaders. The action came as a result of picketing at Mayor Gill’s ranch.

The hurling of the gas bomb into the midst of the strikers was followed by the arrest of B. Sales, Mike Flores, Juan Madrid, leaders of the Agricultural Workers Industrial Union. These are still held while the three others have been released.

Today, police armed with bombs and rifles, patrolled the strike area. The strike headquarters was raided and all union material, $16 in cash, application cards, union books, etc., were seized. This afternoon a cordon was thrown around the headquarters, at 844 A street, by the chief of police and his thugs. From time to time they would march into the headquarters to look for the leaders. But the workers stick solidly and protect the leaders and give no information to the police.

SCABS TAKEN OFF

Jean Rand was also arrested at the hall. The spirit of the workers is very high and another demonstration is called for steps to further spread the strike. In spite of the police attack, all scabs were taken off the field.

The brutality of the police, which is contrasted to the policy of soft soaping and demagogy, during the earlier stages of the strike, comes as a result of their failure to break the workers away from the Agricultural Workers Industrial Union. The Mexican consul, whose strike-breaking activities were thoroughly exposed at the outset, proved useless. Promises to the strikers that their demands will be considered only on condition that the fighting A.W.I.U. be given up likewise proved futile. The latest is to use an organization called the Mexican Workers Alliance, for strikebreaking purposes. But the workers stand fast, having learnt that only the Agricultural Workers Union is the real representative of the workers, irrespective of nationality and race, and especially encouraged by the gains being won in other strikes.

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CALPACK STRIKERS WIN 25C PER HOUR BUT NEED UNION

MERCED, Aug. 20. The workers striking at the California Packing Corporation ranches returned to work, granted an increase to 25 cents per hour from the previous 172 cents, and a nine-hour day. Board will remain the same, at 75 cents per day.

The strike was called off by the small strike committee, and the workers were not consulted. The leaders, who acted in secret, announced that the workers, according to the agreement with the company, are given permission to form an organization that will function as a company union. This is obviously in order to prevent the organization of the Agricultural Workers Industrial Union. That the misleaders are controlled by the corporation is also clear from the fact that scabs are given preference in hiring. The workers are enraged at this:

The A.W.I.U. is recruiting many members and a local will be launched in a few days.

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TAGUS RANCH WORKERS FIRST TO WIN RAISE

Bosses Forced To Meet With Fighting Union

TULARE, Aug. 20. The Tagus ranch strikers are back to work granted 25c per hour, with the agreement that there will be no discrimination in the hiring of workers

The negotiations were carried through with a committee of strikers headed by Pat Chambers, the leader. Only the persistency and militancy of the workers won the big increase over the 15-cent rate which prevailed previously. This struggle, being the first of the many strikes taking place, played an important role in establishing the 25 cents minimum rate now being granted to many thousands of workers.

Practically all the 700 workers are now in the Agricultural Workers Industrial Union, and are determined to be on guard against the slightest attempt to take away any of the gains.

A considerable group of active strikers have already joined the Communist Party Unit at Tulare, having learned through experience that this is the Party that leads in their interest.

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BULLETIN

As we go to press the report comes from Gridley that 350 peach pickers again went on strike demanding 35 cents per hour or 52 cents per box. This followed, a meeting of 500 workers under the auspices of the Agricultural Workers Industrial Union. At least 1200 in the region may be effected by the strike. Legionnaires have already mobilized for strikebreaking.

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1000 IN FRESNO REGION STRIKE: WIN INCREASES

24-Hour Struggle in Sympathy With Tagus Workers Wins 25c Hour

FRESNO, Calif., Aug. 21. More than one thousand agricultural workers, coming out on sympathy strike with the Tagus ranch strikers, have won pay increases to 25c an hour. In many cases this was a 100% increase.

The strike, originally called for Friday morning, was to last 24 hours involved about 75 ranches around Reedley, Parlier, Sanger, Selma and Dinuba. Only a half dozen ranches have not yet settled for the new higher wage.

The demands put forward by the workers were for 30c an hour, 5c a box for cutting peaches, and in grape picking 2c a tray for Thompson seedless and 21⁄2c and up for muscats. Recognition of the Cannery and Agricultural Workers Industrial Union and no discrimination against strikers were demanded. If the demands are not met for the grape picking a strike will be called affecting 5000 in this region. As a result of the victories scored so far, hundreds of workers are flocking into the C. and A.W.I.U. and a rush order of membership books is required. Sunday night more than 400 at a mass meeting at Reedley heard Walter Lambert, state organizer of the Trade Union Unity League, and other leaders speak.

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1200 PEAR WORKERS RETURN WITH RAISE INJUNCTION FAILED

Strike Forced Blue Eagle Growers To Pay Minimum

SAN JOSE, Aug. 20. Despite the injunction against strike activity and arrests of six leaders, the 1200 pear strikers under the leadership of the Agricultural Workers Indus trial Union, have returned to work at 25 cents per hour. This is an increase of from 5 to 72 cents per hour.

A large part of the strikers have already joined the union, and the rest are expected to follow within the next few days. The NRA was exposed in the struggle as many of the growers, although flying pay the minimum.

The prestige of the Communist Blue Eagle emblems, refused to Party among the workers has increased tremendously, and many have already joined.

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CHICO PEACH CUTTERS WIN MAIN DEMANDS OF STRIKE

Five Pickets Arrested; C. & A.W.I.U. Grows

CHICO, Aug. 17. The strike of 200 from the Bicwell sheds, led by the Cannery an Agricultural Workers Union, have won 10c a box for cutting cling peaches instead of the 5c previous ly paid, an 8-hour day, child labor laws to be enforced, first aid ki provided, and sanitary condition: in the plant.

The strike, called at the Bicwell yards, resulted in the work being removed to the Dutra yards. Refusal of the boss to meet the demands was answered by continued picketing, at the Dutra yards. Five strikers were arrested for stopping a scab from going to work, and held on framed charges of assault and vagrancy. They were Ira Ruley Harry Lewis, George Yamamoto John Funker and Joseph Oliver. All are now out on bail, with trial for Finkner, Lewis and Ruley set for August 23 and for Yamamoto and Oliver for August 25. Immigration officers, brought up to deport Yamamoto and Funkner, left when they found the workers were American citizens.

At the height of the picketing Sheriff Toland brought out 75 deputies and Legionnaires armed with pick handles and sawed-off shot guns to break up the picket line. At the same time he called to Gov Rolph for help from the militia (Company G of Chico, National Guards).

As a result of the strike the Cannery and Agricultural Workers Industrial Union has gained 49 members in Chico, 10 in Hamilton and 20 in Gridley. The union is holding a meeting in Gridley tomorrow night.

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COMMUNISTS IN STRIKE FIELDS!

Comrades in the fields! Don’t lose this opportunity to build the Party in the agricultural regions. NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT!

Appeal to the workers to join the Party that leads in the fight for a living wage.

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Build the Union, and the Party on the Ranches

The present strike in the California Fields is the greatest that has yet been seen in the state’s industry, involving more than seven thousand in six different localities at the same time.

But the significance of the strike is not only in its extent, but likewise in the fact that it was chiefly against the biggest growers in the state, involving the largest ranches in the world (outside of the Soviet Union). Furthermore the strike was a direct blow against the NRA, following immediately after Roosevelt’s declaration making strikes illegal. In four of the six regions the strike is organized directly by the Agricultural Workers Industrial Union, while in the other two the workers are being won over to the union.

Most of those on strike are peach pickers. It is the peach canners that have adopted a code setting a price to be paid to the growers that amounts to a 200% increase. But the big growers insisted on paying the workers 15-17 1/2 cents per hour. The growers and the canners calculated on huge profits, to be chiefly at the expense of the pickers. The strike, however, upset all their calculations.

WIN DESPITE NRA

The NRA does not provide for codes effecting the agricultural workers. The failure to include them only proves further that the whole scheme is meant for wage cutting. The Roosevelt administration could not continue saying that codes must provide f for a living wage and set a minimum scale that would be less than that provided in the textile code, which is $12 and $13. In fact, when the textile scale was adopted there was a storm of protests from all sides. Yet if $13.00 was set for the agricultural workers it would mean a 100% increase in most cases.

The NRA administrators are now seriously worried and are even talking of devising some way for tying the agricultural workers to the enslaving act. But the workers at the Tagus Ranch, in the pear fields and others, are learning that only an organized struggle brings real gains. It is through such struggle that wage increases have been forced even in many parts not directly effected by the strikes.

The strike shattered all opinions that agricultural workers will not organize or struggle. In Oxnard, where 1200 are on strike, gas bombs and arrest of the leaders did not break the ranks, but was answered by a tige demonstration. Evictions and terror failed to break the Tulare strike. The agricultural workers are in fact giving an example to the workers of the other industries in the state.

FAKERS BEING DEFEATED

The workers have likewise demonstrated that they will not be fooled any longer by nationalist fakers. At Oxnard and Tulare the Mexican Consul was exposed at the outset, and could not betray the workers. Only in Salinas is the strike leadership in with the Filipino nationalists, and only when the workers join the  Agricultural Workers Industrial Union, which represents all workers irrespective of nationality or race, will the struggle be successful. The members of the A.W.I.U. are fast winning the rank and file away from the misleaders.

The most important problem before the Agricultural workers especially in the strike regions, is to build the union. Unless there is a union, that is active and alert, gains won will be snatched away at the first opportunity. Unless the workers are united by a union the boss can take advantage of different nationalities and races to divide the workers. People advocating national divisions among the workers must be driven out as the worst enemies.

SHOULD BUILD PARTY

Another very important task before the agricultural workers is to build Communist Party Units on the ranches. It is the Communists that lead the strikes, and are the most active. The Communist Party is appealing especially to the most active workers in the fields to join the Party. It is the Communist Party Units that will give guidance to the workers, strengthen the union and expose the boss agents that are always trying to disorganize the ranks of the workers.

Workers in the Agricultural Fields! At this moment there is a better opportunity to build a union than ever before. A powerful union in the state will mean that the standard of living for at least a quarter of a million workers in the fields will be increased. It means that workers will not have to work for as little as 10 cents per hour, live in filthy camps and be forced to work 10 and 12 hours per day. Workers would not be left penniless after a season is over, and compelled to apply to the hated charities. You would not have to spend weeks and months in the jungles, waiting until the season starts so you may get a few weeks work. The grower would hire through the union and there would be no discrimination. A strong would mean that YOU would be living at least as the city with an average standard.

You see how workers who have gone out on strike won big increases. Those are only indications what can be accomplished in all parts of the state. So let us spread the strike and build a powerful union!

SEND RELIEF TO STRIKERS!

While some of the agricultural workers have returned to work with increased wages, thousands are still on strike in various fields. Thousands more are coming out.

Those workers face immediate starvation as soon as they walk off the fields. They depend on strike relief from you! It is your fight as well as their’s. They are dealing a blow to starvation wages.

Get your organization to arrange the raising of relief in the quickest possible manner.

Rush all food and funds to the following centers:

SAN JOSE–81 Post Street. SAN FRANCISCO–3470 19th Street, or 830 Market Street. SAN DIEGO–647 7th Avenue. SACRAMENTO–429 J Street, LOS ANGELES–127 S. Broadway, Room 317.

WORKERS INTERNATIONAL RELIEF.

Western Worker was the publication of the Communist Party in the western United States, focused on the Pacific Coast, from 1933 until 1937. Originally published twice monthly in San Francisco, it grew to a weekly, then a twice-weekly and then merged with the Party’s Daily Worker on the West Coast to form the People’s Daily World which published until 1957. Its issues contain a wealth of information on Communist activity and cultural events in the west of those years.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/westernworker/1933/v2n34-aug-21-1933.pdf