Primary Sources

Part I:

The Grape Strike

September 1965 – July 1970

The first six chapters tell the story of the Delano grape strike, the national grape boycott, and the improbable triumph at the end of the five-year strike -- the historic signing of hundreds of contracts between the union and grape growers.

El Malcriado story that Eliseo read about Jimmy Hronis, the labor contractor forced to pay back wages to workers. Hronis story.pdf
Police report on arrests – including Chris – for chanting “Huelga” in the road, October 1965. Huelga arrest.pdf
Houses and assignments for union volunteers, Delano 1966 Union staff.pdf
Chris justifies the Migrant Ministry’s support of the strike, February 1966 The church and the grape strike.pdf
Martin Zaninovich report to growers about the fictional strike in Delano, March 1966 Zaninovich report.pdf
Chris explains his trespassing arrest in Borrego Springs, July 1966. Borrego springs arrest.pdf
Chris’s appeal for help during the DiGiorgio election, August 1966 Chris letter.pdf
Leaflet after Eliseo was beaten-up by Teamsters in the DiGiorgio campaign Teamster Leaflet.pdf
Eliseo on the cover of El Malcriado as a young leader, December 1966 Los Capitanes.pdf
Chavez note thanking the AFL-CIO for hiring Jerry, May, 1967 Jerry hired.pdf
Eliseo’s speech to the Chicago Typographical Union in March, 1968. Typographical union.pdf
Eliseo’s address to the Chicago Machinists convention in September, 1968. Machinists convention.pdf
Chris appeals for food donations, Christmas presents for strikers, and renewed boycotts, November 1968 Chris_letters.pdf
Chris explains the church’s role in the farm worker movement, 1969 Hartmire report.pdf
Magazine interview with Eliseo about the Chicago boycott, March 1969 Labor Today.pdf
Eliseo explains the boycott in a Chicago magazine, 1969 Community grape boycott.pdf

Part II:

Growing Pains

August 1970 – April 1973
Chapters 7 through 9 chronicle the expansion of the union into the vegetable fields and ensuing battles with the Teamsters, the difficulties in administering the grape contracts, and Chavez’s decision to move the union headquarters to a remote, bucolic compound.

Eliseo’s report on the boycott conference in Chicago, March 1971 Boycott report.pdf
Eliseo’s farewell newsletter to Chicago, May 1971. Chicago newsletter.pdf
Affidavit Ellen collected to defeat Prop 22, fall of 1972. Eggers affidavit.pdf
Boycott report commissioned by Safeway, which backfired, March 1973 Safeway report.pdf

Part III:

War, Again

April 1973 – June 1975

The union again battles the Teamsters and the growers in Chapters 10 through 14, losing almost all contracts but ultimately exerting enough pressure through the boycott, mass civil disobedience, and political allies to forces a resolution, as California passes the first law in the country protecting farmworkers’ rights to organize and join unions.

Question-and-answer handout by Chris on Teamster violence and the boycott, summer of 1973 Chris questions and answers.pdf
Chronology of violence against UFW strikers in Kern County during the spring and summer of 1973, compiled by Jerry. Jerry chronology.pdf
Preamble to the first UFW constitution, September, 1973 Constitution.pdf
Eliseo’s memo on how to set up a successful boycott, 1974. Setting up a boycott.pdf
UFW resolution commending Jerry on the Agricultural Labor Relations Act, August 1975 Jerry resolution.pdf

Part IV:

The New World

June, 1975 – February, 1977

In Chapters 15 through 18, the union moves in two different directions – some leaders in the field offices figure out how to win elections and play by the new set of rules imposed by the state law, while Chavez focuses increasingly on how to preserve the movement spirit and build community, and begins to purge longtime union staff members.

Chavez autographed story about Harris poll showing 17 million people boycotting grapes and lettuce, December 1975 Harris poll.pdf
Affidavit by Eliseo in support of giving the union organizers access to workers in the fields, September 1976 Access affidavit.pdf
Notes from meeting where Chavez reshuffled leadership and adopted a goal of 100,000 members within two years, November 1976. Meeting notes.pdf
Tributes to Chris at surprise party for his fifteen years with the National Farm Worker Ministry, November 1976 Pudge tribute and Chavez tribute.pdf
Nick and Virginia Jones’ resignation letter and follow-up, November 1976 Jones letters.pdf
Question-and-answer sheet by Chris for boycotters and supporters, June 1976 Chris QandA.pdf

Part V:

A Movement or a Union?

March 1977 - July 1978

The split becomes more evident and problematic in Chapters 19 through 21, as the demands of members and administrative responsibilities increase, the union is unable to stabilize itself, and Chavez’s growing frustration drives him into an alliance with Synanon, a drug-treatment-program-turned-cult, as he makes a commitment to preserve the all-volunteer movement at any cost.

Gretchen’s notes, plans and responses on the Hemet Wholesale boycott, spring 1977 Hemet campaign.pdf
Police report and court transcript of Sandy’s arrest at the Salinas jail, September 1977 Sandy arrest and Sandy transcript.pdf
Chris letter justifying Chavez’s trip to the Phillipines, September 1977 Phillipines.pdf
Chris report to the farm worker ministry board about Chavez’s conviction that the union must cast off the old and build community, November 1977. Chris report.pdf
Jerry’s enumeration of his responsibilities, February 1978 Jerry letter.pdf
Chris’s explanation of the Game, April 1978 The Game.pdf
Chris note about the legal department and the Game, May 1978 Legal department games.pdf
Sandy’s letter asking for a raise, May 1978 Sandy letter.pdf
Letter from lawyers asking for clarification of their status, November 1978. Lawyers letter.pdf
Interview with Chavez in Soujourners magazine about the importance of community and religion, distributed by Chris Sojourners.pdf

Part VI:

Up From the Fields

August 1978 – January 1989

The fight shifts to the lettuce fields in Chapters 22 through 28, as a group leaders emerge during a bitter, prolonged strike, become the first generation of farmworkers paid to work for the union, challenge Chavez’s decisions, and end up banished, facing him in court.

Chava Bustamante poem dedicated to Jerry Chava poem.pdf
Rules of conduct for the strikers Strike rules.pdf
Mario’s rewritten resolution at the 1979 convention, supporting the strike Mario’s resolution.pdf
A sample of strike accounting done by Jessica and Gretchen. Lettuce strike accounting.pdf
Summary of provisions in the Sun Harvest contract that ended the strike, August 1979 Sun Harvest contract.pdf
Money raised by the workers at companies with contracts to help those still on strike, October 1979. Cooperaciones.pdf
Celebration when the UFW took over El Hoyo, the shape-up center on the Mexican border, as its Calexico office, November 1979 El Hoyo.pdf
Jerry’s resignation letter, November 1980 Jerry resignation.pdf
Chris’s resignation from the National Farm Worker Ministry to move to La Paz, March 1981 NFWM resignation.pdf
Reflections by Chris as he left NFWM Chris essay.pdf
Invitation to the legal department reunion, May 1981 Legal department reunion.pdf
Invitation to prospective lawyers, trumpeting the accomplishments of the former-UFW attorneys, June 1981 Legal department invite.pdf
Flier handed out at convention charging the paid reps were trying to oust Chavez, September 1981 Chavez leaflet.pdf
Chavez letter firing Mario as paid rep, September 1981 Chavez dismissal.pdf
Mario’s charges against Chavez, November 1981 Mario charges.pdf
Mario’s declaration in the workers’ lawsuit against the union, May 1982 Mario declaration.pdf
Sabino’s election as paid rep and internal appeals, 1981 Sabino charges.pdf
Sabino’s declaration in federal court, May 1982 Sabino declaration.pdf
Ruling that vindicated the paid reps, November 1982 Judge’s decision.pdf
Second ruling that the paid reps were unjustly fired, November 1984. Second decision.pdf
Chris’s timeline of key dates in the union’s history, 1986 Timeline.pdf
Jessica’s eulogy for Fred Ross, 1992 Fred eulogy.pdf

About The Sources

Much of “The Union of Their Dreams” is based on primary source documents – letters, memos, stories, transcripts and notes written at the time that events in the book were occurring. Some of the papers that I relied on to tell the story are in libraries; this page has links to more information about the major archives. Other documents are in the personal collections of more than a dozen people who shared with me their scrapbooks, journals, notebooks, and files. In many cases, I quoted short passages from these sources in the book. Here is a selection of the full documents from which those quotes were drawn.

They are arranged chrono- logically, in the order in which they appear in the book, and divided into six parts that correspond with the major sections of the book.