The Mexican American Experience, a radio program produced by the Longhorn Radio Network, includes interviews, music, and informational programs related to the Mexican American community and their concerns. Program summary: Host Armando Gutierrez interviews James and José Garza, who are members of the Texas Farm Workers League, and were participants in the massive Farmworkers strike near Raymondville, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley. Jose and James Garza provide an eyewitness accounts of the farm workers strike in Raymondville Texas in April 1979. The strike began on April 4th, when farm workers at Charles Wetegrove's packing shed refused to work for a 50% pay cut. Over 1500 workers are striking for better wages and working conditions and for union recognition. The two brothers discuss the police brutality they witnessed at the picket line and the provocations the strikers endured both from police and Wetegrove, himself. They mention that the few journalists who covered the event clearly favored the growers. They explain that the conditions in Wetegrove's fields are typical of those found among the largest growers. They also discuss House Bill 227 and its bid to legalize collective bargaining for farm workers. They say that Mexican American organizations like LULAC have not offered much more than verbal support. They explain that the strikers need food and financial support as the coffers of the Texas Farm Workers union are spent bailing out several strikers the police have arrested. Without more support, the strike will be unable to last much longer. Keywords: American GI Forum, Antonio Orendain, Austin, Bill Clayton, Catholic Church, Centro del Pueblo, Cesar Chavez, Charles Wetegrove, Child Labor, Community Support, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Forrest Green, Fundraising, House Bill 2227, Houston, Jose Moya, Juanita Valdez, Labor Unions, League of United Latin American Citizens, Lubbock, LULAC, Nuns, Odessa, Park Rangers, Police Brutality, Puerto Rico, Raymondville, Raymondville Onion Strike, Right to Work, Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, Sheriff Department, Strikebreakers, Strikes, Taft Hartley Act, Texas, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Farm Workers, Texas Legal Aid, Texas Rangers, Tony Garcia, Transnational Activism, Union Organizing, United Farm Workers, Wagner Act, Workers' Rights. Broadcast date: 1979-04-19.
Creator/Contributor:
Longhorn Radio Network (creator), Gutiérrez, Armando (host), Garza, James (interviewee), and Garza, Jose (interviewee)
Date Created/Date Issued:
4/18/1979
Owning Repository:
Benson Latin American Collection, LLILAS Benson Latin American Studies and Collections, The University of Texas at Austin