00:00:00.270 - 00:00:18.360

OK, I think we're all right. So, um, there are 2 things. That I really need to understand better. I mean, one is I'm trying to find out. What happened as as completely as I can just, you know, day by day and 25 years have gone by

00:00:18.360 - 00:00:35.840

and people don't remember so well, so. I don't expect too too much, but I will have a lot of really. Specific questions, you know, about something I read and don't understand or where I get two different versions of the same thing, so I'll ask you that.

00:00:36.130 - 00:00:53.619

Excuse me, can you talk a little bit, I'm sorry, um. So I'll be asking questions like that, but I think what I really need more than anything else. Is a feeling of like what kind of sacrifices people had to make. How people lasted those 18 months,

00:00:53.830 - 00:01:09.529

you know, because I think. Whatever else happened, none of it would have been possible if you hadn't found a way to survive, you know, for that long time and keep your spirits up and you know, I think that's what. If a book doesn't convey that, it's

00:01:09.529 - 00:01:28.819

not doing its job. Um, so. Stories like that, you know, um. The other thing I'll say is that just the other day I was at the library at the historical Society and they had an article in there I hadn't seen before. It was in the San

00:01:28.819 - 00:01:44.680

Francisco Examiner. I think the reporter's name was Turner. He interviewed you, and you actually must have given him a wonderful interview. You started off by saying, I wish my English was better. There's so much to say, and I don't think I can say it all, but,

00:01:44.730 - 00:02:11.119

but what you said was very powerful. So That's I mean I don't have, um, I don't have a copy of it, but actually, no, I did make a copy of it and it's in my car and I will be very happy to make a Xerox and

00:02:11.119 - 00:02:24.479

mail it to you. OK, because it's, it's a great, you should have it, you know, it's a great I had I was me and her. She was about 2 years old, you know. One thing you talked about, um, in the interview, which I'd like to hear

00:02:24.479 - 00:02:43.809

more about is. So you mentioned that you were a university student in in Mexico. How did that happen? How did you, what, what did you plan to do with your life when you, when you went to school? I went to school in Mexico, uh, how was?

00:02:45.410 - 00:02:59.399

You went to school thinking uh. Did you, did you have some plans in mind in terms of, of, of, uh, what, what did your family, how did your family earn a living? OK. The thing I was, uh, I want to be a lawyer. I want to

00:02:59.399 - 00:03:20.130

be a lawyer, but in that time when I was in the school. Uh, the thing is, uh, I don't know if you remember in Mexico, the, the death of Trataloco Morsco in the, in the 60s. I remember in 1968 I was terrible. All those students were

00:03:20.130 - 00:03:36.895

killed. Yeah, I was in Culiacansa, Mexico and it was a lot of problems. You know, and then my dad went to Culiacan Sinaloa. He told me, I send you to study, not to be in in a strike or not to be in a, in a problem

00:03:36.895 - 00:03:52.494

and I had to go back. And then I, I quit and then I had to go, I quit the school because what were you involved in at school that your father objected to? What were you doing? Oh my God, and, and a lot of, a lot

00:03:52.494 - 00:04:16.160

of things, you know, because, uh. Um, the soldiers, they, they took our university and what we did, we was there like uh what we did in the strike right here holding hands, not to let them to go in into. Our school, you know. What were you,

00:04:16.329 - 00:04:32.010

uh, what were the demonstrations about? What were you trying to you know I have a little hidden problems too, me too. I, I should know better. What were the demonstrations about? Why were you, were you? I mean, I know the police came and you were. OK,

00:04:32.239 - 00:04:49.600

because we want the rector, we call it, I don't know what this means rector. Rector is the one who runs the university, and then they wants to put a rector from outside, and we want a rector from the Sinaloa state from our state because, uh, we

00:04:49.600 - 00:05:12.049

don't know people from outside. That's what we need we want people. You know, we know people who care about the students, who cares about the poor people because I was poor. The only thing was my dad wants me to have education. Uh-huh. How did you, did

00:05:12.049 - 00:05:26.290

it cost a lot of money to go to school? I mean, how did you manage it? Because in Mexico, you don't, you don't need money to go to school. It's different than university over there. The only thing we had, they had to pay for um. Uh,

00:05:26.369 - 00:05:51.429

like, uh, we pay for you in Sacramento, like, uh, um, for food and place to stay. Yeah, but, uh, the there was no tuition, the tuition, no, the books, uh, because there is a was a federal school, you know, and And no, we don't need that

00:05:51.429 - 00:06:07.709

money, but we need to buy the books. So your father pulled you out of school. Then what did you do? Yeah, you know what I did, and I said I went back to Mocorito Sinaloa, you know, my small town, and then, uh, my older sister used

00:06:07.709 - 00:06:32.220

to live in Ciudadobreon Sonora. And I, and I moved to Ciudadon Sonora and I started there in the school but not at university because uh there we had to pay because in Ciudadregon no universities we had to go to another like Hermosillo Sonora and I studied

00:06:32.220 - 00:06:57.619

as uh uh how you say secretaria. Um, just to be like a, a secretary or like a receptionist. Like an office job, yeah, because my dad was already old and He, he can't work anymore and I had to. To start to study, you know, fast 2

00:06:57.619 - 00:07:19.170

years and then start working. How many brothers and sisters did you have? You had an older sister in Sonora, 7 sisters and 2 brothers. If I'm not doing OK, tell me, OK? Were you um Were you the youngest? Were you the youngest? Oh, no, OK. It

00:07:19.170 - 00:07:45.709

was the, the youngest, OK. um. What made you decide to come to the United States? was a cute story. I just came because I have a uh my My aunt, she passed away, and uh, I was, yeah, I used to live in Mexicali too, you know,

00:07:46.779 - 00:08:00.339

from Sonora. I had to move to Mexicali because I was a single one and over there I had to live with the family to keep my good reputation. I don't supposed to live by myself, you know what I mean? I had to live with my sister,

00:08:00.869 - 00:08:22.640

so there, um. I, I met my, I, I'm lab, so in Mexicali she just saw one of her, um, aunts that lived here in the United States that she hadn't seen in a long time. OK, we were, uh, fixing our nails. I'm still fixing, you see,

00:08:23.609 - 00:08:45.659

fixing my nails, she told me, oh my God, Fideelia right here, it's too hot. If you see where I live in the United States in Watsonville, California, she say, you see the, you can see the apples, the strawberries. She was describing Watsonville like the Paraiso, like

00:08:45.659 - 00:09:07.179

paradise, like a paradise, and she told me, when you have occasions, come and uh and uh and visit me. OK, one day. So one day I get vacation. I was saving money to go to Hawaii with my friends, OK, but I say, OK, I'm going to

00:09:07.179 - 00:09:33.099

Watsonville, California. I want to see no, no, no, I wanna go there to see the apples, to see the strawberries, and see how beautiful is that town. And then I fly. To San Jose And I have a permit. You know, I don't know how you know,

00:09:33.469 - 00:09:52.880

I'll tell you later. So, and And I have a story about I don't know if you have time to tell you what happened to me that day. OK, I just, uh, I, I've got all the time in the world. I said I fly, OK. I fly

00:09:52.880 - 00:10:11.760

to San Jose to Watsonville, uh, and then, and my tia, my aunt, she told me, OK, don't trust people, OK? You know, you just you by yourself, you ask, you're going to Watsonville because they're gonna, they're gonna ask you how, uh, how much money you, you

00:10:11.760 - 00:10:27.000

have, how much they're gonna charge you the taxes. I used to have a, a Volkswagen. I sold the Volkswagen and I got the cash money in my pocket, OK, for my car. So and then, and then I, I saw one, when I arrived in San Jose,

00:10:27.280 - 00:10:44.940

I saw the, uh, the taxi, you know, taxi, taxi, taxi, you know, the people from San Jose, OK, and I said, yeah, I was shy because I don't know nobody and um. So I'm going to Watsonville. I can take you, lady, for how much? $50 for

00:10:44.940 - 00:11:01.289

me at that time in the $7850 was a lot of money for me, but, but I had the money, you know, just because I sold my car and then, and then I saw a lady there because my aunt told me, no, don't come in the in

00:11:01.530 - 00:11:19.890

in the taxi by yourself, OK. Because we don't, we don't know people. And then I saw a lady there with a girl. And I ask Senora whoel Barbara Watsonville. And I said, Are you going to Watsonville? And he said, See you boy on Watsonville. Yes, I'm

00:11:19.890 - 00:11:36.090

going to Watsonville. And then I said, I, you, me too. Can we go together? She said, Yeah, let's go together. And I called the taxi, and then I said, Oh my God, you know, I say it was a lady with a, with a girl and about

00:11:36.090 - 00:11:54.130

18. I don't know if you know this story, but about 18 years old, and then, uh, um, I told you that story, so. I was still, you know, nervous, and I, and she said, um, OK, let's go, and I said, OK, how much? OK, the $350

00:11:54.130 - 00:12:11.429

for, for the three of us. OK, we split the $50 for, OK. And then I was telling this, uh, to the lady, Senora, can I, can the taxi take me before, before you? She said, yeah, because I'm by myself like and he said, yeah, and I,

00:12:11.489 - 00:12:27.650

and I said, Senora. Uh, what is your name? and she gave me her name, her daughter's name, but her daughter never said anything. She wasn't about 18 or 19 years old. She didn't say nothing. She was looking at me and then, uh, and then she says,

00:12:27.750 - 00:12:50.549

um. And she gave me her name, her phone number. OK, and then I, they met me ronaldoicilio. They dropped me to the address. They took me to my to that address. And then I kissed her and I kissed the girl even if she didn't talk to

00:12:50.549 - 00:13:06.630

me and I said, ah thank you very much, which is gracias for your help, you know, OK. Then next day I told my aunt, I want to go and visit this lady because it was my angel because my mom already passed away at that time and

00:13:06.630 - 00:13:23.119

I, and I say my mom sent me that lady to me, OK, and then. And I called the number and they say that number is uh must be disconnected or no longer in service, you know how they say it, OK. And then I told my, my

00:13:23.119 - 00:13:37.580

aunt, let's go, let's ask for taxi, and she said, I don't have money. And I said, Oh, you're lucky I have a little money because I sold my car, remember? OK. And then, and then, uh, uh, she said, OK, and she called the taxi and we

00:13:37.580 - 00:13:52.729

used to live for Rodriguez Street. She called the taxi and then we went, I told him, can you take us to this address? And we went there, we knocked and knocked the door and somebody, uh, uh, and I said, Hey, I'm looking for, I don't remember

00:13:52.729 - 00:14:10.434

the lady's name. I'm looking for this person. No, nobody lives here. Yeah, she gave me this address and this phone number, and I said, no, this phone number, no, because I think it was uh 726, and after that I say what's on bill no 72. 6

00:14:10.434 - 00:14:25.114

and that at that time in 728. OK, so and then I started feeling like it's so nervous at that time and she say, no, for how long you live in this house? No, mommy, mama, come on, this lady wants to know how long we used to

00:14:25.114 - 00:14:40.380

live here. So no, for more than 30 years this is my house, she said, I said, you know, freaking, and I say, no, this you don't know this lady. No, I don't know her. And I went back. I was crying. I was thinking, God. Who was

00:14:40.380 - 00:14:55.869

that lady? I asked everybody when I tell the story. It was your angel, yeah, yeah. Well, that's why I'm here. She, she didn't, she didn't know you. So how did you, how did you wind up? That's why she didn't give me the right, right, that she

00:14:55.869 - 00:15:10.859

didn't know who you were. Yeah, maybe that was my, she didn't I want to keep myself. That was my angel. Well, um. But she got you where you wanted to go. So how did you wind up staying here? I mean, you just came for a visit,

00:15:11.030 - 00:15:29.150

right, to see your aunt? OK. My aunt, she asked me, she asked me, um, how much you make over there where you work, you know, I was a secretary of Mexicali working for a Company Industrial de Mexicali. So and, and I was making $1000 a month.

00:15:31.419 - 00:15:52.729

A month. No, no, no, no. I said 1000 pesos, not dollars, 1000 pesos a month. And she told me 1000 pesos like it wasn't about $1 100 and something that she said, oh, you can make here $300 a week if you work here. And I said

00:15:52.729 - 00:16:10.400

no, but I'm on vacation. No, no, no, come on, and I, uh, uh, I make you to work. She used to work in a cannery too. Which cannery did she work at? Uh, the Norco crusading before was the was the canning. What's the, yeah, and after

00:16:10.400 - 00:16:37.599

the strike was no uh no, uh, Watson Buchanon, yeah, was, uh. I forgot after that was nous, no, norco, yeah. Oh, So and um and I started working there with one name. Pecky's name Maria Pecky's because they didn't ask you for papers, they didn't ask you

00:16:37.599 - 00:16:55.479

for anything, you know, uh, that time they want people to work. They want machines, you know, us, uh, to work. They didn't ask me anything. Yes, what is your name? And this is, uh, uh, this is my Social Security, and I gave a number, and she

00:16:55.479 - 00:17:18.379

didn't ask me for more, and I start working the next day at nighttime. Um, Packing spinach. Oh my God. After that day, because they need people, I worked 9 hours, my first day, because in my life, I never worked, no, never worked hard, only when I

00:17:18.379 - 00:17:35.979

was little. And uh I pack it and I have pain right here in my back. I was vomiting for the pain, and I tell him and I tell myt I don't think I can make it. I think that I cannot, I just say no, that's the

00:17:35.979 - 00:17:53.890

first stage you feel like that, but tomorrow it's gonna be different. OK, I took a shower, I went to sleep for hour, for about 5 or 6 hours, and they call me for again to call nighttime. Every day, I said, I don't want to go back,

00:17:54.339 - 00:18:11.420

because sometimes in the spinach, sometimes cutting broccoli, sometimes and uh uh they put me in a, in the machine of the sprouts. And at nighttime I feel like this, uh, I dream with the, the sprouts. I saw, you know, if you close my eyes, I was

00:18:11.420 - 00:18:28.300

seeing the sprouts like this and then hearing the, the, the floor ladies say, pick it up, pick it up, the, the bus is coming, the bus is coming. He wants to see you, uh, uh, your hands going fast, going fast. And then sometimes I need to

00:18:28.300 - 00:18:39.199

go to the bathroom, and they look at you and they say, why are you going to the bathroom? And they say, because I need to go. And I say, look at the buses are here, you don't, you want me to pee here? OK, I can pee

00:18:39.199 - 00:18:58.910

here. I, I told people that I told the floor ladies like that, and um, and then they sometimes they put me in because I was a little bit not too short, and they put me in the the skill I got. sometimes in the in the packet

00:19:00.189 - 00:19:26.270

the broccoli, my God, every night I had just 2 hours to go back to sleep, to go to sleep because the pain in my back and I don't think it only me, everybody feeling the same and and I wanna cry. Because people. They don't care about

00:19:26.530 - 00:19:44.109

if you were sick or fear. I was trying it on her. And I didn't care. I wasn't. I was scared and you mentioned that you hadn't worked so hard since you were a young girl. Um, What were you doing when you were when you were young

00:19:44.109 - 00:20:00.569

when you were you did your family have what did your family, I had to work a lot because my dad, he raised perks, he raised, uh, cows. He, we had to work when I got to, I go to school, I was already tired. When I see

00:20:00.569 - 00:20:18.930

people, they cross the river, they come to school one hour before me, but I was still working before I take a shower before I have breakfast. Your father had a farm, yeah, yeah, and we are only 7 girls. We work like a, like a man, like

00:20:18.930 - 00:20:36.229

a riding horses, going there, helping milking the cows, uh, when the people come to get me this, this, uh. Going to the houses and knock doors and here is your milk and a lot of work we had to feed the purse we had to feed the,

00:20:36.300 - 00:20:58.699

the, the now I know the cerritoc. Uh, and the cows, and we had to do all the work before you go to school. Yeah. Well, back to Watsonville. You, you got there in 19, would have been early 70s when you, when you came to Watsonville? Yeah,

00:20:59.810 - 00:21:26.250

the late 70s and 70s, 1978, 77. So you were there you were, you had been in the plant for about 7 years before uh no, more like 8 years I worked, yeah, but I, I always worked nights because I had to take care of my daughters,

00:21:26.729 - 00:21:43.449

you know, two jobs, working nights to survive because my husband, he used to work in the fields and he was united home workers. He worked in the apples and um. It was hard because I had to take care of my daughters and uh I don't know,

00:21:43.459 - 00:22:14.859

so and was was hard, very hard. Did you, were you involved in the union at all before the strike the strike, um, let me tell you, um. I wasn't because uh. The Teamsters. Do Don't involve people. Don't, don't tell you, you come, you know, we are

00:22:14.859 - 00:22:35.790

the ones who ask them, can, can we do this? Can we do that? But But you know, like, uh, right here that is so the when I used to work in the school later after the strike, I was involved because they invite you, but I don't

00:22:35.790 - 00:22:57.709

remember the teachers inviting us. I think because I think we're not smart enough to do things. I don't know. I'm sorry Richard King, the big, the big red-headed guy. Richard King Richard King, no, was the worst, but Sergio Lopez too was worse too, yeah. So There

00:22:57.709 - 00:23:17.650

was an election in 1984 and I mean I, I Frank Barnke ran and he was supposed to be running as a protest candidate and then to his shock, he almost won. Uh, he wasn't expecting that and I, I think. One thing he told me is I

00:23:17.650 - 00:23:39.560

don't know what I would have done if I had actually won. I wasn't ready to run the union. Did you, were you involved in that at all? Yeah, yeah, uh uh was you talking on? What year was that? That was 1984, 19, yeah, it was, yeah,

00:23:39.969 - 00:23:58.359

yeah, because they don't want him, a lot of people, because the, the teamsters scare the people. They know we're hungry. We need the money. Oh, this is communista communist, you know, like a from Verdic cases. They don't. They, they don't want the people to vote for

00:23:58.359 - 00:24:20.979

him. They don't want the people to, to, uh, to know him. Did you, did you go to, uh, TDU meetings then? Did they have meetings that you went to? OK, um, was, uh, when, uh, uh, Joe. When all the struggle that bad, you know why we

00:24:20.979 - 00:24:40.660

went on strike, huh? Oh yeah, you know. I'm, I'm going back to 1984 when they ran a, yeah, so, and we were so disappointed, you know, about they not doing anything, so and we decided. With his help, you know, like to do something to make a

00:24:40.660 - 00:24:58.290

group, to push the, the, the teamsters, you know, the 4 or 5 people in there because we are the union, and I said we are the union, we need to form a group just to make her to do something for us. How many people were in

00:24:58.290 - 00:25:24.589

Teamsters for a union how many would come to those meetings. OK, Esperanza and rique. Um, Joy, uh, from Bardiki and all the group they were in the support group, OK, and um. In by the and I just. About 10 or 12. I don't remember the names

00:25:24.589 - 00:25:49.109

exactly but uh we were about 10 or 12, and these are the people who met regularly before the strike. OK, now. When in the summer of um excuse me. In the summer of 19. 85. When Mort Conall made it clear that he was going to force

00:25:49.109 - 00:26:11.359

you out on strike. Um, and what year is it right before the strike, just, just a few, few months before, yeah, it began on September 9th. What did you do? I mean, what I understand is that um, When the when the that that that Richard King,

00:26:11.410 - 00:26:26.979

that the union officers were not prepared, they did not expect more counsel to do what he did. And they had no idea what to do. And you know, several people who told me that Richard King was so upset he just went off and got drunk and

00:26:26.979 - 00:26:41.449

the union wasn't functioning at all hardly. I remember when people talk about that that's the way you remember it I mean yeah but I don't remember to see it, but I remember when people talk about it. You don't remember what you were doing during that period.

00:26:42.949 - 00:27:03.689

Um, The only thing that we remember, he always says, you know, when we were on a strike, you said before, before, before the strike, no, uh, to be honest, before the strike, I don't know anything because before the strike I was, I wasn't involved and the

00:27:03.689 - 00:27:20.270

only thing I heard. When people start talking there and and and the Lia there and you know when we're working, come on you guys re up because, because we, we're gonna go on a strike they're gonna, no, not going on strike. They say we're gonna, they're

00:27:20.270 - 00:27:40.380

gonna close the, the company if you don't, don't do fast, they're gonna close the, the company. That's why I say that. Uh, like, uh, like I did say, you say, oh, we had it in 1 minute you had to cut, you know, about 11 broccoli or

00:27:40.380 - 00:27:58.430

13 block no they want double double to cut more they were actually making you work faster faster so and then and uh. In, in the package, you know how many boxes you had to walk. He once did the double, you know, the, the floor ladies were

00:27:58.430 - 00:28:10.630

telling us, you know, if you don't do what, what the buses serve right here, they're gonna close or they're gonna take the company to Mexico? And I say that's good. Take it to Mexico and we go back. We go, we go, we're gonna be happy to

00:28:10.630 - 00:28:31.949

go back to Mexico, you know, and then, um, there is that, that's why, um. That what I say because we had to strive it's all because that they say they push us to go on a strike because they first they're intimidating us like a they're gonna

00:28:31.949 - 00:28:47.979

close, they're gonna take the company to Mexico if you don't move your hands like a move your hands, move it and move it and move it it, you know how you can move back more, you know, the. And When the, when you actually did go out

00:28:47.979 - 00:29:07.780

on strike. Who do you, who organized the picketing who, who, who, I know you had that court injunction deal where people were being arrested right and left. I mean, who, who took charge? Who is, who is responsible responsible. About to go out and strike, you said

00:29:07.780 - 00:29:22.270

you took a vote in the union, yeah, we say we're going on strike. We don't want, we cannot do like a if you cut only 11, we cannot cut 22, you know, it's hard for us if you add package 1011, I said I don't wanna, I,

00:29:22.319 - 00:29:39.050

I cannot package 20, OK? He says, well, the only thing is I, but, you know, guys, remember you're gonna have only $50 and then the strikes we never. Win, you know, you, you better think about, you know, and that that sounds like Sergio, yeah, yeah, Sergio,

00:29:39.089 - 00:29:52.020

know, like, no, and I said we don't care because I was loud. People doesn't like me because and I say we don't care. We don't care. We are the one who works. You don't know how much you get tired. You don't know how much we can

00:29:52.410 - 00:30:11.209

work to get, you know, to bring food out, uh, to our. Yola comida la casa to take food to our houses, you know, um, I was lucky because my husband, he used to work in the fields, but, but the people, they both work in a cannery.

00:30:11.719 - 00:30:33.520

They were turned. I say, why are you gonna be weak if it is two people working in here and they're gonna have only $100 a week? Why are you guys gonna be afraid? So the strikes earnings. Yeah, yeah, yeah, because you know we have. Uh $50

00:30:33.520 - 00:30:57.010

a week, a week we had to pay rent. We had to pay bills. We had to pay. You already have my two daughters, but he was working steady in the fields all the whole 18 months because he's strike. OK, yeah, my husband was lucky because he

00:30:57.010 - 00:31:11.160

used to work, you know, like I said he didn't get laid off when the spinach was all when they no, because he, he worked in apple orchards, and it was a year-round work, yeah, OK, not a year round, yeah, because he finished in December with a

00:31:11.160 - 00:31:28.839

poda, you know, the how to say cropping, the trimming, trimming, yeah, the poda, you know, he, he was in a, in unemployment. It was hard because he wasn't unemployment in December. January February March 4 months, but I was a very organized person when he had a

00:31:28.839 - 00:31:45.680

chair. I would say $10 for food, $10 for rent, $10 you know, saving the money for rent and food, and I used to buy things in uh in the wheel well, blankets and everything. Oh my God. Yeah, there must have been some others who weren't as

00:31:45.680 - 00:32:07.319

lucky. I mean women who were like single mothers or whatever, people who didn't have any other. Source of income. Um, what did they do? People, single mothers. I think that because people, they were like this, you know, helping, you know, my husband, he has friends, they,

00:32:07.500 - 00:32:25.270

they give him a broccoli or zucchinis, you know what I do. I make a packets of those and I go, uh, and I went to the picking Line. To use to pass to the people, you know, because we, every two hours we had to change that,

00:32:25.329 - 00:32:41.640

that I say that. The shape for the for the for no for the for the the strike during the strike the piquela every two hours and then I went to stores, you know, to the panaderias and uh la Rosa right here and I said, you know,

00:32:41.839 - 00:33:02.959

people in the in the line, they need, uh, they, they need something, I mean, uh, warm, and they buy coffee and bread in the morning for the people in the line, but We have the united homeworkers to support us a lot. Because they have an Elbanco

00:33:02.959 - 00:33:20.640

de comida for the United Homeworkers, and they give us once a week, you know, vegetables, and we have Elbanco de comida too. They give us cheese. Uh, I, I, I said not for me because they give it, they give us a ticket, and I said this

00:33:20.640 - 00:33:38.310

is for you. My husband working, you know, your husband work in a cannery, this is for me. Uh, I didn't take because I know I have the support. And and el banco de comida and how you said the, the food bank of comidas unit farmworkers, they

00:33:38.310 - 00:33:58.550

give us a lot of vegetables and elgama de la comida el um how to say el el food committee committee the food committee was a lot of people from Watsonville. They get together and every week we go there and they give us a a bag of

00:33:58.550 - 00:34:15.879

food. You know, cheese, rice, you know, um, we make a line there and they give us a ticket. And sometimes I need it to go and get, but uh when I don't need it, I say no I don't wanna go because in the union the people

00:34:15.879 - 00:34:33.790

was there uh giving us the the numbers to go online and get a because from Bradey and um Maria Brad and uh. Uh, Cruz Gomez and all those that were in the support groups helping, you know, that's why I said right here yellow durovenzava de la

00:34:33.790 - 00:35:04.379

huelca los esquiroles and pea cruzad. Do you understand some Spanish. And they said we said integritos insultosipadas lolbas er er no quiero entended is a pasabao ah. OK, OK, OK, frankly. Delayuda de la la. Conteleongo yeah. Because the the channel. And since so is uh through

00:35:04.379 - 00:35:31.669

the the beneficials during a quince. Mm, OK, that's how I say pero de la pollo the Watson Billy Lavalla when, uh, Oscar Rios came with that group, the la valla Mustrospearesvierronnaliviar. I don't know how to say that. Uh, are they just came to you guys on

00:35:31.669 - 00:35:46.600

the Bay Area, like community united, we have a lot of help with the community that was me. I mean, I, I came down from the Bay Area. You came from the Bay Area I, I worked at the Oakland Post Office and we did a food drive

00:35:46.600 - 00:36:01.919

there and um. There were a bunch of women who had just been hired, you know, in affirmative action. They didn't have enough Hispanics there, so they all got hired. They all, I remember driving around one night to everybody's house and picking up food and then giving

00:36:01.919 - 00:36:16.310

it to the support committee in San Francisco to take down. Oh yes, from San Francisco, we went, you know, our group around there asked for help too, asking for help. I mean you had 3 different committees that I know about you had one in Santa Cruz.

00:36:16.590 - 00:36:37.189

You had one in town, and then you had one up in the Bay Area and then I, I talked to Lydia, you know, and she was describing how they would go to San Jose once a week and get food from Lou Gray, you know, from the

00:36:37.189 - 00:36:56.260

Santa Clara. Uh, labor counsel. Do you remember him? Who Lou Gray was his name. He was a big heavy man, you know, very. We met a lot of people, a lot of nice people, a lot of people who wants to help, a lot of people who

00:36:56.260 - 00:37:20.030

make us to be stronger, a lot of people like, uh, uh, they say, OK, if these people supporting why we gonna be weak. Let's be strong. Let's try to. After, um, I want to move up a little bit to Uh, the time when the shaw workers

00:37:20.030 - 00:37:41.370

went back to work. Um, I know people were disappointed when they, when we were so disappointed, but I think it's the union, you know, I say I don't say union because I don't want to hurt nobody like the union because junior for me is the workers.

00:37:41.790 - 00:38:02.530

The people who are there strive to push him because they don't have. Money they said they don't have money to support two candidates on a strike, you know, and they make a lot of strategies, strategies, strategies to, to start, you know, intimidating people like I say,

00:38:02.570 - 00:38:19.350

you know, you have is how hard it's with 2000 it's 1000 and Watsonville and then another 1000 it's gonna be so hard. and he offered this and he offered that and then he tried, that's why we don't want they don't want in in the negotiation they

00:38:19.350 - 00:38:42.860

don't want people from from the Watson Buchanan because they know we have a lot of uh strikers very strong, very, very strong. I talked to one union official. Actually he wasn't an official. He was Alex Ibaranza. Did you know him? Alexanza. He was sent down from

00:38:42.860 - 00:39:00.370

San Francisco, you know, by Joint Council 7. He was not, he was very much behind the scenes. But he was the one who came up with the idea of taking the money out of Wells Fargo Bank, you know, that taking all the Teamster pension funds. That's

00:39:00.370 - 00:39:20.290

what he told me. Um, he said that he thought that. Um, Uh, Richard Shaw was willing to work with the union. But Markonsall was trying to get rid of it. And so that you know he also didn't think that the Shaw strike could win, but he

00:39:20.290 - 00:39:35.580

thought that the Watsonville Canning strike was very strong. Nobody was going to scab, you know, people were much more together and everybody lived in town so they. You know, nobody's going to scab on their neighbors. That was his assessment that the Watsonville County was much stronger

00:39:35.580 - 00:39:55.040

and it was much more likely to win. Uh, I think for myself, I think the whole strikers from both canaries, they were strong. The only thing I don't know why they picked Richard because the boss, I don't know, the bosses why they say. You not, not

00:39:55.040 - 00:40:10.149

because the strikers, no, the strikers were strong. They're making it up everything, I think, because I see all the people are stronger. I have to ask you this because people tell me one thing somebody else just an idea. I don't, I don't think yeah, because, uh,

00:40:10.310 - 00:40:28.929

Richard Shaw and the and the junior people there, I think they were friends, you know, they were. To intimidate the people and um were you at that meeting the workers voted was we were crying. Yeah, I know they had to clear the room and then only

00:40:28.929 - 00:40:43.270

the yeah they don't want us there. Yeah, but you were there at the beginning. Yeah, yeah. So do you remember it very well? Can you describe it for me? Um, I don't remember very well, but I think I remember, uh, because, uh. My husband, he was

00:40:43.510 - 00:41:03.070

a little bit jealous, you know, he doesn't want me because he know, he knows a very, uh, passionate person, you know, and the strike, and one time, uh, I lied to him and was my fault because, um, from Barnique and I, we had to translate the

00:41:03.070 - 00:41:17.879

contract from English to Spanish. You believe that only Spanish if they have the contract in English only. So and I was typing. And from Bar the key he was writing, he was typing, and I told him, OK, I'm going to the union to do, you know,

00:41:18.050 - 00:41:30.929

my, how to say my duty, so I don't know if you you call there, and he said, yeah, we're gonna, I'm gonna be in the union, uh, typing the country, but I know, you know what I did? No, I was in the meeting. We went to

00:41:30.929 - 00:41:54.010

Castroville to start the, the, the. How to say the losscass in English los esquiroles to try to talk to them squiroles uh los esquiroles I'm gonna say squiroles, uh, to try to stop them, you know, and we went up then only the man who was driving

00:41:54.260 - 00:42:10.909

and about 10 women we went there and uh and La Parada we send the staff, they, they, they. They pick up the, the people in the past and we say that, you know what, uh, we are the strikers, we don't want you to go back there

00:42:10.909 - 00:42:28.334

because you, my lucha is too lucha. My struggle is your struggle and he says no because. We need uh uh uh things, you know, we need food too, like you, they came from outside to work. I say, but we, we are in a struggle that we

00:42:28.334 - 00:42:48.300

are in a, in a, in a, in a strike. You don't go and then um. A lot of people, and they say they cut the tires of the cars. I didn't do that. But I don't know who did it, but they can. The tires from all

00:42:48.300 - 00:43:06.550

the, the, the people who, who were there, he, he stopped the cars there and they, they came in the buses right here and they parked the car and they, the newspaper next day was, you know, all the strikers were there and cut the tires because they

00:43:06.550 - 00:43:24.090

got mad to the to the squiroes because they don't want to come to Watsonville. So I don't know who did it. Uh, we have a lot of support for the community. I don't know who did it. Yeah, but, OK, I am curious about one thing, um,

00:43:24.429 - 00:43:51.070

because people have talked about in very general way about going to Salinas, going to Castroville to try to confront the, the escaro. um, who went with you when you went? Well, we were Esperanzaa and um. I don't remember the names, but we were 1212 girls. Esperanza

00:43:51.070 - 00:44:14.239

was, she was in the hunger strike, wasn't she? At the end yeah. I think her sister, Anita. Well, Esperanza Torres or Esperanza Contrerasperanza Contreras and Anita Contreras. There were two sisters working there and Esperanza Torres, yeah, she was there in the strikes and Enrique Torres. I've

00:44:14.239 - 00:44:28.899

been trying to find both of them because they both work in a cannery. They were so difficult, you know, we went there to help and they, they had to move out of the house because they couldn't pay the rent. Well, I remember I saw that movie.

00:44:30.000 - 00:44:46.739

That John Silver made about Torre's family being evicted, was Esperanza Contreras, who's also, did she also lose her home? No, no, Esperanza Contreras, no, no, but, uh, she was there. So but, uh, to end my story while my husband, he didn't trust me anymore because when

00:44:46.739 - 00:45:02.270

I, we can't get off the van, I saw my husband like this looking at me working in the contract, typing in the Spanish, and I said I'm sorry, but they invite me and I said no. And he says, I wait for you at home right now

00:45:02.270 - 00:45:21.229

because uh we used to work uh uh live on Rodriguez Street and we walked to, you know, there one block here, two blocks from the union office to my house. Yes, half a block, so he was so mad at me because I lied to him and

00:45:21.229 - 00:45:40.820

that's why I didn't go much to those only if he I take my daughter at daytime. And I had to go a daytime to the picket line because I lied to my husband. Yeah, but because, uh, I want you, but no matter what, you, you made

00:45:40.820 - 00:45:57.580

it out there, right, regardless of your circumstances, yeah, we, we talk with your baby on your hip and we, we stopped a lot of and then people we were in the in the door when the strikes get off the bus and I don't know why, but

00:45:57.580 - 00:46:22.540

the buses, they have, uh, wood, no more, no more um. Video glass because I don't know who broke it but they had, they put, you know, like I said right here. Uh, they said like I say yellow madura de la luchacommenavalos esquiroles and pesara cruzad. Do

00:46:22.540 - 00:46:45.790

you understand that? Iregritos insultospedradas, you know what it meanto means cry, rights to throw rocks slope no quier. Did you ever have a, did you ever turn a scab away? Did somebody would come and see you and then would turn back or would be frightened and

00:46:45.790 - 00:47:04.270

would leave? Did that ever happen? Yeah, some, but, um, I don't wanna talk about race. Talk, no, we are the people, you know, we don't want to say because this race or that race, no. I say we are the people, some peoples understand some people don't.

00:47:04.354 - 00:47:26.334

Didn't, but, uh, we make flies and we flies, flyers, flyers, OK, and then, uh, we stopped there on the doors passing to the people and then, uh, if he, there were 10 people, maybe 6 went to work and 4 stay out and we talked to them

00:47:26.334 - 00:47:54.409

and and they understand our struggle. They understood the lucha. So, and When the condo broccoli benilla toda la la la verdura. loss lossino los de jamo when the you remember that, huh, yeah, he remembers that I do, yeah, I, I chanted it a few times, yes,

00:47:54.520 - 00:48:20.110

yes, we hold hands and we don't want them to be, yeah, yeah. Um, probably the only Spanish I know, um. In February after Shaw signed. This is something I I've asked a bunch of people about and nobody really remembers it very well. Uh, Joe Fay doesn't

00:48:20.110 - 00:48:39.830

even remember it that well as I called him up to ask him about it, he's back in Milwaukee now. There was a group that came together in early February called uh 1986 right right around the time that before when we were still on strike. Oh yeah,

00:48:39.959 - 00:49:03.310

yeah, yeah, no, this was right after the new year. You've been on strike for 5 months. OK. And a leaflet came out that said unite at the top. And uh it was signed, your name was on it, uh. Um, Esperanza Torres, Esperanza Contreras, I think Gloria

00:49:03.310 - 00:49:28.889

Betancourt, Moreno, um, they were all, yeah, the vice president of the union now, yeah, um, I talked to her yesterday anyway all these people signed this leaflet saying we need to have a meeting. At the veteran's hall on February 8th to try to Get things going

00:49:28.889 - 00:49:49.449

again, you know, the crops are going to be coming in in several more weeks, and we need to strengthen the strike, try to stop the produce from coming in from the fields, try to stop the scabs. We need to meet and. Um, From what I understand,

00:49:49.489 - 00:50:05.389

there was a big meeting. A leaflet came out. Um, and Joe Fay, he got into some trouble because of that leaflet because he was an officer in the union at that point. The teams and the leaflet made it look like the Teamsters had endorsed this demonstration.

00:50:06.399 - 00:50:27.689

And then There was a big demonstration. Uh, the police stopped it, broke it up. And some people went off and went down Main Street and started throwing rocks through the windows of stores. OK. Do you remember that? And how do you remember it? I remember um.

00:50:28.659 - 00:50:55.919

Let me see, but maybe people doesn't want to talk about because, uh, uh, we get so angry and we walk all the way to Main Street because, uh, what they did and I think people who really Really Uh, I understand the Lucha. He, he get angry.

00:50:56.090 - 00:51:16.459

Why we there are too many months for nothing, and then the people get angry and yeah, destroy all the man's street. Which was, which was silly because a lot of those stores supported you. They supported the strike, didn't they? Some of them? No, because, um, um,

00:51:17.229 - 00:51:41.139

Fords, remember Fords, the, the Fords, um, he Uh, when we had those, uh, those demonstrations, they came, uh, they say for, um, the, the, the store forts, I don't know if you remember that they, um, I want my daughter to help me with this. Uh, they

00:51:41.139 - 00:52:01.770

have a trucks that I said carros lindados, you know, trucks with, uh, with, uh, to, uh, with all the gasses, and they put gas on our faces. And people get so angry about what they do to people in line with the picking sign, and then they

00:52:01.770 - 00:52:25.209

were spraying because few people supporters, they, they want to, to tell us you. Keep on, you know, stronger. You can, you're not alone. You were behind you, you know, we are the people who you can, you know, like rest your, your shoulders there. So and then

00:52:25.209 - 00:52:46.110

a lot of people, I don't know who did it, uh, and they destroyed and they destroyed more forts, not the whole there's 2 or 3, they were. Against to the, to the strikers because they provide for they say they provide the You don't know that? Did

00:52:46.110 - 00:53:03.149

nobody told you about why we get uh strikers were so angry to Fords. Um, this is the first time I've heard that's the first time you heard that's the first time I heard about Fords, yeah, that. She was, she wanted you to help out. Yes, no,

00:53:03.189 - 00:53:36.965

that's OK. You, you also have a la gente la noche de la Main Street. You told me that they destroy all main street. Well, not all. loss personas ennojado mucho todo la gente Watsonville quenos apollama porque virolos carros, um, so all the supporters, all the community

00:53:36.965 - 00:54:12.235

supporters of Watsonville became angry at them. Yeah, porqueses provio proviola unos. das chiquitos moss no loss quela forces los ok, so I guess the the store fords had donated some vehicles to help, um, you know, the people of that. um, on strike and so, um, I

00:54:12.235 - 00:54:44.169

guess they ended up people ended up spray painting the vehicles that were donated. Oh, I see no no no not donating loss questa paraque sega quenia de los cars lindas. But los Carlos esocommo delos de la UPSo carro mas machicosian un una manerras grandes quenosar degaes

00:54:44.169 - 00:55:08.350

noera wasn't the police wasn't nothing was white cars white como like at the UPS but a small and they were spraying us with uh with uh wasn't in Latino America. You never heard about that. I don't know who, who gets that people were demonstrating on Main

00:55:08.350 - 00:55:24.534

Street that that that that Ford started doing that night that night and it was raining really hard. I remember that. Yeah, and the people got angry because the kids, they were all with the. With the with the smog with the gasses they throw it to us

00:55:24.534 - 00:55:51.250

so I, I totally got that wrong. So it wasn't Fords donating cars it was just oh but then they say no was the Fords was the one person who uh how to say. Uh, la tienda la tienda forces resolaos los los patroes the uh proportiona loques

00:55:51.250 - 00:56:12.742

proportionarus esustanques para ess so basically the the owners of the Fords company like set up a plan to have, you know, these roadblocks with these cars and to spray the people along with the. You didn't know about what happened and this happened on Main Street. No,

00:56:12.812 - 00:56:28.782

no. What happened in that in the Kennedy in that because uh you're talking about what demonstration you do well, I was talking about the night that that on February 17th when when people went to Main Street and started breaking windows. Oh, but it was it was

00:56:28.782 - 00:56:51.476

raining really hard, yeah, but it was because in the morning we have all demonstrations. and and find the cannery and find the cannery and then here comes those uh cars with the with the um the spraying the spraying this is the the gasses larimogenos how you

00:56:51.476 - 00:57:06.439

say sheer gas to make lama see the gasses larimojinos they try and then I remember one of the strikers, they pick up the things and they try to you know, here's the thing, I, I know the police did that. We didn't see that it wasn't it

00:57:06.439 - 00:57:24.929

wasn't. That's why the, the, the people get so angry to Fords because I don't know how, how people under the table, they, they got that was forced. What was Fords doing with tear gas? I mean, I don't know. I don't know. That's why. There was a

00:57:24.929 - 00:57:38.449

strange, you know, but let me tell you a lot of it's against the law for anybody besides police to tear gas, you know, they say they were doing that. I've never heard this before. I know that there were tear gas canisters. I just thought that the

00:57:38.449 - 00:57:51.860

police did it that they were trying to break up the demonstration. I knew the police didn't want people to assemble. I knew that they were, they wouldn't let crowds gather. They were throwing tear gas into the crowds and people were picking the tear gas canisters up

00:57:51.860 - 00:58:12.010

and throwing them back at the police. I've heard people talk about that. Oh yeah, but we throw them back, but, but at that time, that, that, that night when they brought all part of Main Street, more forts because people get out those. Uh, cars, I remember

00:58:12.010 - 00:58:36.000

they were white cars. They throwing those things, uh, spraying to the little kids. Uh, that's why another can of worms for you to find out nobody told you that. No, no, I mean, because, because it's supposed to. was here and the strikers, the one who knew

00:58:36.000 - 00:58:54.100

was forced like a, like a um when we pick uh to Wells Fargo, you know, like a You know, that's what that's the thing I remember. I don't know if you want to write that in your book, but uh I don't know if somebody else mentions

00:58:54.100 - 00:59:12.300

it to me, I guess I will, you know, yeah, yeah, because, um, if you interview somebody else, I remember why was right on, uh, were you, were you on Main Street when it happened, when, when people were no, because it was at nighttime in the morning

00:59:12.300 - 00:59:29.379

we find out. And they say the strikers and then after that, after that we can, if he, I cannot be with two people together walking in Main Street. You if you see three guys together, no, we had to walk this, not 3 people together in Main

00:59:29.379 - 00:59:51.469

Street, even women. Were you, were you ever arrested during the strike? No, because, uh, I told you, a little girl. I have my daughter all the time with me and I remember I, I see at speed and the police faces with my daughter. I don't know,

00:59:51.510 - 01:00:08.270

I, I don't know if my daughter remember that. So I thought for me. I try to forget. I know, I know now was a bad school for my daughter. I was, I was I am who I am because of these stories. Were you ever, do you

01:00:08.270 - 01:00:26.129

ever remember being frightened? Um, No, no, it didn't, didn't in my mom's arms I've always felt safe because I married with a daughter as an adult. Uh-huh. I never had a because my husband say if you were on the show, you had to take your daughter

01:00:26.129 - 01:00:41.830

with you because the older one, she stays with him because doing was 4 years older than her and two of those, she was 6 years old, you know, and she was mommy, mommy, mommy all the time. You know, and she got that pick and sign around

01:00:41.830 - 01:00:55.959

my house all the time. We see policiano well see and they're my neighbors, uh, they say, Can you stop your daughter and doing that? And I say no. Why there were other small children on the picket line, weren't there? I mean, you weren't the only small

01:00:55.959 - 01:01:11.709

kid. There, there were others that went there. I, I, I hear about people who would bring their too many, too many kids, too many kids now and the, and the carolas. I don't have money to buy all those, uh, how do you call strollers, the strollers.

01:01:11.810 - 01:01:28.294

That's why I carry my daughter all the time right here because, because the stroller was was expensive, but, but people did bring their children to the picket line all the time all the time, not to the to make uh. There, you know, like if he, oh,

01:01:28.764 - 01:01:43.364

she was in the, in the picket line, but I was there supporting, you know, with my daughter supporting, and I say, hey, these people come with with food and people come with uh tamales, people, you know, you know, we have a lot of support, but I

01:01:43.364 - 01:02:03.709

was, we were disappointed because they, they, they, um, blaming the strikers, but I think that I know. Ask the as somebody else, you know, the why was forced and involved in the in those gasses. I will, I'll try to find out what yeah, that's, that's the

01:02:03.709 - 01:02:26.290

thing I remember. I I've never really gotten um a clear sense of what happened that night, only that there was a demonstration. The police broke it up and then things just kind of got out of hand is the way I understood it that that nobody. Some

01:02:26.290 - 01:02:42.370

people were throwing rocks. Other people got blamed for it, you know, the strikers, yeah, but, but remember, you know, a lot of people, uh, you know, they're against to the police and people take advantage sometimes and other people take advantage what they say, ah, let's do

01:02:42.370 - 01:02:58.550

this like. They was a house on fire. They're doing that and then they blame to the to the strikers anyways, you know. Well, that reminds me of something because I remember there was a warehouse near the plant that burned down in October and they never did

01:03:01.110 - 01:03:18.570

find out who did it. Everybody assumed that the union was responsible and the union people. Thought it was an inside job that that Mort Conso had burned it down to collect the insurance because it wasn't getting much use anyway. Did you know anything about that? I

01:03:18.570 - 01:03:33.090

mean, you say that again. It was what Farmers Farmers Exchange something like that. It was a warehouse near the plant. Where was that right by the plant. Oh yeah, one night in October. That's why they said a lot of people, you know, I, I don't want

01:03:33.090 - 01:03:49.489

to blame it. They say, you know, who did it, but a lot of people take advantage of. and Did you the time you went to Castroville, was that the only time you actually went out to talk to scabs? No, I was there. I was lying to

01:03:49.489 - 01:04:08.159

my husband about 4 or 5 times, and, but when he got me, I say no, I don't want to do this anymore because I don't want. I had two daughters. I don't want to divorce because we have a lot of divorces, you know, divorces, divorces. That's

01:04:08.159 - 01:04:26.870

something else I wanted to ask you about. I mean, I know a lot of marriages, um, uh, broke up. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Gloria told me that her marriage broke up. She she actually. She told me, you know, she suggested I talk to her ex-husband, you know,

01:04:27.090 - 01:04:39.610

I called him up and He said he didn't really want to talk about it. He said, you know, that was a very hard time for me. I'd rather not talk about it and I said, OK, I understand, you know, um, but he Did some time in

01:04:39.610 - 01:05:11.389

jail, I guess he got blamed for it. I remember now um. I got the impression from Gloria that he, he took the rap for some other people. She took what he took the blame, yeah. No que Gloria la di que que quesesposodijo que fuel or dijoqueraculable

01:05:11.389 - 01:05:31.570

decosas quenora. You don't, you don't ask people about things like that, so I, you know, I respect what people say because it was, was a, a big lucha, was a big struggle and people was doing their own thing to help, to help, and some people they

01:05:31.570 - 01:05:54.050

were taken advantage too, you know, because Main Street, I don't think it was, uh. Strikers and they say people there because uh they think it uh um Because they see how the kids were crying with the smog in the eyes. A lot of kids. No, I

01:05:54.050 - 01:06:14.020

was lucky because I ran close and I just live uh I used to live like a half a block from the cannery. You lived, you lived near the cannery, 222 blocks, I think, yeah, did you ever find that became a problem because they wouldn't let people

01:06:14.020 - 01:06:27.100

assemble? I remember Aurora Trujillo was she lived right across the street and she was actually arrested on her front porch once. I remember hearing about that when it happened. That must have been pretty early in the strike, you know, the only thing, let me tell you

01:06:27.100 - 01:06:54.659

what happened for me. It was the night they broke the car of the from Bardeki. They broke my Pintito, my, my car. They pin pinto, they broke the, the windows, my car and, and the tires and the, the. I said the striker commuter, they, they fixed

01:06:54.659 - 01:07:17.810

my car because we. We don't know who did it, but I don't want to blame somebody, but what's a lucha like we say la guerra la no misericordia everything is fair in love and war. Sometimes I wonder, um, yeah, well, I wanted to ask you about,

01:07:18.209 - 01:07:40.389

about the strikers too. I know that they had a big meeting. In, um, October and they elected uh some people to that. Yeah, we, we picked the people. Who speak English at that time my English was if right now it's bad, imagine like a 2025 years

01:07:40.389 - 01:08:00.879

ago. Sos OK to me. No, no, and so, and I was bad and I said, you know, better go people who understand who doesn't need a translator, you know, and that's why we picked Gloria Vanur we pick um Cuca. And I think it was uh uh

01:08:00.879 - 01:08:15.899

I always forgot the name uh you were at that meeting though where they where they picked them, yeah, yeah. Were there meetings after that regular meetings they, they. They told me that they used to have meetings every Monday night in the union hall, yeah, you know,

01:08:16.040 - 01:08:29.580

and the, and then here comes, uh, from Barda, and then they always say, Hey, we don't want him here. I say, they wouldn't let Frank into the union, and I didn't want it. I say no, he's part of our community. I have a letter actually that

01:08:29.580 - 01:08:43.004

Sergio sent to Frank saying if you come here, we're going to have you arrested for trespassing. Yeah, they say that and. And you know we got all the people together and we put somebody in friend and friend and then Frank and I said, hey Frank, what

01:08:43.004 - 01:09:00.200

do you think about this and about that and, and they got so mad because we asked Frank because we as people, we have, he has experience with the with the United homeworkers he used to work, you know, I knew Frank. Before that, even when he was,

01:09:00.319 - 01:09:19.189

you know, in Berkeley, you know, I mean an old war horse, that's true, and, and want to know, you know, and remember, uh, one time we had to go to court to, uh, to talk, you know, like a witness for for Joe Fahey because he was

01:09:19.189 - 01:09:38.628

on, on jail and I went there they. I, they see me in that in that chair for weakness with uh, with translator, you know, at that time. Like I'm doing right now with you, Mija, so, so, and they asked me, they asked me. This person was

01:09:38.628 - 01:10:00.069

the person who teaching you. To do the things you're doing right now? Nobody, uh, he organized, uh, you guys to do this. I remember the saying. I say no because We are the strikers. We are the ones who have a brain too. We get all together,

01:10:00.209 - 01:10:16.720

you know this is interesting because. Um I mentioned that Joe got into trouble with the Teamsters Union after that right on Main Street, you know, they had to, they, they brought Sergio and Leon Ellis, charged him with, you know, breaking the rules, and there was a

01:10:16.720 - 01:10:33.040

hearing in San Francisco. In front of, you know, Chuck Mack and some of the other joint council officials and Um Chuck actually was very fair, you know, and he kind of let Joe off with a rap on the knuckles. I think he was clear he didn't

01:10:33.040 - 01:10:48.950

want him. Punished too much. He just wanted to. How do I dissociate the Teamsters from what happened from the violence? He didn't want the union to get blamed for it. So if Joe's name was on that leaflet, he had to make sure that the union was

01:10:48.950 - 01:11:04.540

distancing itself from Joe. I don't know how easy that is to translate, um. But Gloria was his witness and they asked her the same thing, you know, did Joe tell you to do this? She says, no, nobody tells us what to do, you know, we, we

01:11:04.540 - 01:11:17.634

make up our own minds. We're all leaning, you said the same thing you just said, you know, we were together. I told I say we are people with dreams. We can think about, you know, what is better for us because these are. Yeah that's the job

01:11:17.634 - 01:11:36.075

we bring food because, uh, imagine we were getting like a $5 an hour. They want us to get $3 an hour with no benefits and nothing. That's why we went on strike and they're pushing and pushing and pushing and they want to cut from 5, I

01:11:36.075 - 01:11:41.234

think 5 is one thing. I want to stop this for one second and make sure that we're.