Video 1 – Dolores Huerta - Labour and migration are the two main focuses that build places Movement of people are more complex Born in 1930 in new Mexico Latest north American life lived Exposed to labour and political activism Father was union activist to strive for better working conditions and miner and farm worker Was an elective member in 1938 of state legislature Parents divorced and she grew up in Stockton California with her mother (farmland) place also was on the major transportation routes Mother had a reputation of being community minded Successful business women Homeless/farmers seek shelter at her hotel for free Worked many jobs to support the family Grandfather played key role in development of the family (violin, dancing) She was an engaged student (joined clubs) and successfully completing school Earned teaching credentials Came to sense how real racism was during these years Teacher blamed her for stealing because she was black Brother got beaten up at a party for wearing an outfit that was “to Latino” She thought she could do more by organizing farm workers than to teach their hungry children By 1955, she was fully engaged in community activism Similar to MLK CSO – Community service organization (Stockton chapter) – key organizer, advocated economic rights for the Hispanic community Fought against police brutality and segregation, wanted to register Latina voters to get community in stronger political position Focused on issue related to labour or work in latino community Ceasar Chavez worked with Huerta to advocate for social change and farm workers Working relationship was tense at times but it was for the good They founded National Farm Workers Association (later becomes the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee – UFWOC) Huerta was vice president here for more than 3 decades Delano Grape Strike (1965) o Filipino farmers left their jobs working on table grapes and demand minimum wage equal to fedral min wage o A vote held on Mexican independence day o Thousands participated in this enthusiastically o Chose to engage in non-violent methods of protest o Chavez marched 300 miles to the state capital of Sacramento to focus public attention on working conditions o Shipments from farms on the docks were tailed, and workers were in union with dock workers to not load these items if they were sent from non union farms (protest) o Retail boycott of grapes in the US, confronting customers with about labour exploitation o Grape industry’s forced to sign 3 year labour agreement with farm workers - - o “Dragon Lady” – didn’t want to negotiate with Huerta because she was so smart Chavez wanted to focus on potatoes but the movement wouldn’t have worked as well as grapes did due to California Lobbied and protested further to gain better legislated protection and safety for workers They recognized there efforts were essential, and payed off when the California Agricultural labor Relations Act was created in 1975 In result of their efforts in the above point Huerta supported Robert F. Kennedy and his bed for the presidency (he won 1978 California Democratic Residential Primary) Rob F. Kennedy thanked Huerta in his final speech as she was a supporter, and he won in his riding. Guerta was off stage when Kennedy was shot September 1988, she was wounded while engaging a peaceful protest at union square san Francisco (against policies of George W.Bush) Broken ribs and a ruptured spleen from beating, spleen was removed Everything was video taped She sued police department and the city Proceeds from the law suit were used to benefit farm workers Shifted her efforts to focus on women rights after a lengthy recovery Supported encouraging Latina women to run for local state and federal office Has a foundation named after her In her 80’s she still travelled across the US advocating for legislation that supports equality and defends civil rights In 2012 she was awarded the presidential medal of freedom by Obama This was some of her words “The Freedom of association means that people can come together in organization to fight for solutions to the problems they confront in their communities. The great social justice changes in our country have happened when people came together, organised and took direct action, It is this right that sustains and nurtures our democracy today. The civil rights movement, the labour movement, the woman’s movement, and the equality movement for our LGBT brothers and sister are all manifestations of these rights She recognizes how everything intertwines and how power shapes relations in societies within and across north America Expression and exploitation can take many forms Video 2 – Labour Across the Continent - Empires were developed using this indigenous labour that was in the area Encomienda – system that allowed Spaniards to force indigenous people to work in a form of tribute The system worked well because density of indigenous people because they were aspiring to accumulate wealth Worked well until Spanish population increased over the aboriginals Repartimiento – percentage of males required to provide labour several weeks each year in the cities farms and mines - - - - - Peones – rural labourers who entered into contractual relationships with employers were wages were advanced to the workers who then. Got caught in a cycle of indebtedness, modern day pay loans. In the north, rural labours were more scarce and they had bargaining power In urban areas, diversity in labour (highly specialized trades) southern was far more urbanised in the colonial era Occupations were associated with status in the society Also race had a tendency to ensure certain hierarchys were created with indigenous, blacks and mestizos – occupations are inferior In north, French colonies were much less diverse in terms of labour (fish, fur and forestry) Coureurs de bois – early French Canadian fur traders Voyageurs – refer to those directly trading with aboriginal and those merchants who received fur Agricultural labourer was important Habitant – French-Canadian colonial farmers gradually earned control over their land then… Gave percentage of land to seigneur (feudal lord) Habitant provided labour Corvee – labour provided for free to the seigneur/community Built roads and bridges Slaves and indentured servants lived in France and provided labour for economic development but much less important in economic terms than was in the south Colonizers arrived as shareholders (profit more directly and quickly from land) gained reputation for being comprised of small independent freeholders who worked to better themselves and their families Indentured labourer – passage to North America paid for by agreeing to work for a given number of years By 1850’s, 60% of worlds supply of cotton was being grown in Americas south Gained considerable wealth from their cotton growth and Used this as power to influence political developments Agriculture was critical to economic development of North America, the nature of work and labour was shaped by this economic activity 1800’s, industrialization took place particularly in the north east to mid west of the US and in this part of the content all the ingredients necessary for the recipe of economic success were present… Lots of natural resources (coal), good transportations, tech that lowered costs of production abundant labour from immigrants and clever business owners and capitalists who accumulated wealth Boston Manufacturing Company (19th century industrialization) No more close connections between employees and employers Industrial Capitalism – demanded long hard and unsafe work for all citizens, 60-72 hour weeks Workers organized to fight for their rights after this^ Labour Activism Deloris took this up in the 60s Industrial workers of the world – restructure society by overthrowing the capitalist system American Federation of Labor - Samuel Gompers – founder of the American Federation of Labor - He wanted more from the labor system not to fundamentally alter it - As labour increased, conflict in industry became more common and violence increased - Haymarket square strike in Chicago (Violence) - Homestead Strike outside of Pittsburgh (Violence) Canada Now - Trades and labour Congress of Canada – 1883 (similar to federation of labour) - Cad labour movement was less radical and violent than in the US - Winnipeg general strike – 1919 – entire city came to a protest, came to an end when RCMP ended it violently - Industrialization was slower in Mexico - Porfiro Diaz – President of Mexico (final term from 1884-1911) - Dictator, allied with capitalist class both those in Mexico and In foreign countries - Thugs or government intervention stopped protests - Mexican minors went on strike for wages, they were gunned down by forces - Labour became part of Mexican politics in the early 20th century - Lazaro Cardenas – President of Mexico (1934-1940) friendly towards labour - 1936, Confederation of Mexican Workers established - National Confederation of Farm Workers supported by president - Campesino – rural farmers in Mexico - Workers eventually rallied to influence - Small percentage of population increasingly controls a large portion of wealth Video 3 – Immigration to North America - Immigration and labour are brought together and are 2 sides of the same coin Immigration is seen as a way to increase labour and economic and national growth External immigration from outside immigration to this part of the country Immigrants arriving at Ellis Island (from 1865-1910: 25 million immigrants arrive in the US) From eastern Europe, Russia and the Balkans 1 million Italians (little Italy, New York city)(around 1900) settle in united states 2 million Italians came in 20th century (Austria Russia and turkey as well increased by a lot) Different languages, religions and cultures Became escape goats for any and all ill’s in society to unemployment to crime Were seen as a Threat to American way of life Immigration policy was implemented to limit immigration in important ways Visibly different were easy to target so… Chinese were affected most even though they contributed significantly to creation of railroad Chinese Exclusion Act – passed in the united States in 1882 prohibiting labourers Head taxes and laws against Chinese were maintained until 1943 1907, Gentlemen’s Agreement – US negotiates in 1907 to restrict Japanese immigration 1924, new act that excluded Japanese exclusively Series of Quotas for immigrants were places, reducing flow of people into the US (by 1929) - - - Same period, Canada experienced lots of immigration as an effort to expand nation westward to the pacific northwest coast (prairie west, farming lands)-US farms were full so Canada became a good second choice Canadian government focused on attracting immigrants that would become good and successful farmers Authorities favoured immigrants from western Europe and British Isles When supply of farmers dried up, Eastern Europe, Ukrainian Canadians came over In US, those who were visibly different were not welcome Canada did the same as US – head taxes to discourage Chinese immigration Chinese Exclusion Act – passed in Canada in 1923 – banning all Chinese immigration Then Cad gov worked out an agreement with the Japanese government to discourage any immigration from that country Jews and African Americans faced this discrimination too 116,000 foreigners living in Mexico most lived in (agriculture and mining) northern part of country– 1910 1910 – revolution in Mexico Chinese turned to Mexico as an alternate location (Baja and Sonora) 1927, 25,000 Chinese lived in Mexico (2nd largest immigrant group) Racial segregation laws, beaten and murder, property was seized In Canada and the US late 1960’s, the racist conditions were removed Immigration and nationality Act – passed in the United States in 1965 resulted in… 170,000 immigrants limit from outside western hemisphere 120,000 from within Americas Law shifted demographics of immigration 1965, 90% of immigrants from Europe then 10% came from Europe - 20 years later 1990’s ceiling was lifted to 700,000 then 675,000 New immigration is Latinos and Asians, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and Cubans 3 million in 1960 to 40 million by 2003 not included in non-documented immigrants Asian immigration doubled from 1980-mid1990’s The points system – Canadian immigration (1967) meant to remove provisions on the exclusion of race Chinese Cultural Centre – Calgary, Alberta Chinese and indo Canadian communities are the two largest communities today representing 1 and a half and 1.4 250,000 - average number of immigrants typically admitted to Canada per year (just under 1% of total population) Canada is a white country 77% 1996: 11%; 2011:20% - percentage of Canadians identifying as visible minorities Cultural diversity and increase in skilled workers are positive results of immigration Critics of immigration included segregation and cultural enclaves Post ww2, Mexico experienced migration in the mountains regions as hundreds of thousands of people Feld civil unrest in central Mexico throughout the 70’s and 80’s - 1990’s – American and Mexican governments cooperated to stem the flow of this type of migration^^ Video 4 – Migration in North America (documented and otherwise) - Undocumented labourer, worker or immigrant – other than an illegal immigrant Migration continued to increase even after Mexican war Migration of Mexicans into territory of controlled by US, Push factors – overpopulation, unemployment and political repression in Mexico Pull Factors – convenience of location, accessibility, cultural similarities, opportunity for work New immigrants worked for railroads (biggest employer) large number of expanding factories and agricultural sectors in Texas and California 1 million Mexican immigrants lived in US in 1930 Pattern of continues movement back and forth across the border took place 1930 great depression slowed immigration down (forced Mexicans to return to Mexico between 1929 and 1937) but Mexican culture was strongly imprinted around the border 1 in every 8 Americans are Latino, largest ethnic minority in the states 7-30 million people – undocumented immigrants, credible numbers suggest 10-13 million 57% from Mexico; 24% from Latin America of all undocumented immigrants 6% from Europe and Canada Government concerned about undocumented immigrants having impacts socially and economically (was expressed In racist terms) Immigration Reform and Control Act – passed in the US in 1986 First attempt to address issue of legislation Allowed amnesty – a ‘pardon’ granted by the government for some undocumented migrants living in the USmexican Employers were supposed to enforce immigration laws because there were employer sanctions placed on those who employed undocumented immigrants California attempted to do something about undocumented migrants 1994 Voters passed Proposition 187 – California legislation to limit access to health care, education and social services (save our state initiative) They called for a state run screening system Law was immediately challenged in courts for problems against the constitution 1999, law was dead, and this law was abolished Immigration reform has been an issue in the US House of Representatives would take positions to make illegal border crossing a felony Senate – favour solutions that develop guest programs Fence along the Mexican – American border – Secure fence act passed in 2006 (during George W. Bush presidency) 500km of fence along border to stop workers from fleeing to US manly new Mexico, Cali and a little in Texas Sentiments against undocumented workers are high when unemployment is high (“illegal immigrants are taking away our jobs”) These workers are needed (unattractive employment to Americans) 53% of American agreed that these people took jobs Americans don’t want - - Bargaining power of American workers decreased due to undocumented workers drawing down wages overall, but without this labour it wouldn’t be possible to produce the same amount of food for the same cost Obama wanted to resolve this, but he too found it was way to hard Canada – temporary workers instead of those coming from Mexico Temporary foreign worker programs used to fill employment gaps in the economy (unappealing jobs) 192,000 temporary foreign workers came to Canada in 2011 Less than 30,000 would be a permeant resident, Increased use of temporary workers is now greater than immigration Video #4 The other side of Immigration - 25 billion sent home in 2008 by Mexicans in the US - The Money, - They go to US for a year or 8/16 months, you fast and save the money, - Work visa is 6 moths and then come back for 6 months - Work for half a year, then come back for Mexican winter - Smugglers charge 2000 to get you across or 2500 - Then another 500 in expenses - On average you pay 3000 to get there - And it takes 3 moths of us work to pay that off -
