Cesar_Chavez_Progressive

Ryan Petersen 12/2/09 Period 1 PPP Speech - Cesar Chavez Thank you for letting my speaktoday in the streets of California, it’s my honor. Growing up, working in the farm I have witnessed the real truth of manual labor. Employers have abused the willingness of the workers. I have seen countless bright minds gone to waste working out in the yards. I devoted my life to making sure that this will not happen to another child if I have the chance to stop it. I was born into a migrant family in Yuma, Arizona and had been put to work at the age of 10. We had lost our land during the depression. Conditions had become so harsh and bitter we began living on the streets. Being able to change the life of one child would make my efforts worth while. I found that organizing strikes and boycotts to express workers proved to be the most successful method to change in extreme way. Letting the employer know exactly what you want has been proven as the best way to get what you deserve. I’ve seen what it is like to be on the bottom and mean nothing, thatis not what you want in this world. I will not give up until my cause if fulfilled and carried out. I have worked with the CSO to try and help, but have left and formed the NFWA. There is a specific group of people that my methods will benefit the most, but I will not deny a worker in need. The CSO had mixed focuses and were not productive enough and I moved to Delano, CA and formed my own organization. These people have never had a force try and protect them as effective as this one,I am the first to take this step. You must support this Association because farm workers deserve the same attention all other workers get,the farm workers are permanently put in harsh conditions. Joining will only benefit you and the farm worker greatly. Not taking part in this association we have begun will result in higher powers, such as employers, take advantage of you. Taking action is the first step to a better life, joining a Labor Union will protect your civil rights that have been taken from you since becoming a citizen. If you do not mind seeing your own child being starved and forced to work along side you in the farm, go ahead and stay out of the Union. Joining the Union is the only way to protect what your family has, it is also beneficial to your family’s good health and that is the most important thing.