On that bright summer day, Cesar wore a white ceremonial Filipino shirt to honor the brave Filipino-American vineyard workers who began the walkouts in 1965. Much has changed since then, and much has remained the same. Organizing farm workers today is a difficult and, at times, daunting task. But it is nothing compared to the obstacles faced by Cesar and the UFW in our early days. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of work to be done to secure a decent life for the people who are responsible for bringing food to our tables.
Many farm workers labor long hours in the fields for poverty wages.
According to a recent report by Human Rights Watch, nearly 800,000 children still work in agriculture. These young people can suffer even more than adults from exposure to potentially dangerous pesticides. Farm workers usually have no health benefits and often do not have access to toilets and fresh water. But some things are improving. UFW membership has grown to more than 27,000 members, up from about 20,000 in 1994.