Bracero Program and the Labor Rights Movement

2900 Words12 Pages
Introduction Over the years, farmworkers have encountered abusive labor practices under the supervision of unethical and corrupt employers. To fight this continued abuse, several unions were created in the1900s by activist and labor organizers. However, despite the efforts of unions to completely eliminate farm worker exploitation, there is still a need for sustainable labor activism to continue improving the living and working conditions, health, occupational safety, and access to justice for labor workers. Historically, social workers and labor activist have been an important part of a larger response to income inequality and massive immigration. By drawing heavily from historical resources, I attempt to underline the struggles and resistance of the farm workers in the Bracero Program, as well as the union leaders in the front lines of the labor rights movement. Throughout the years, social workers have joined the movement actively voicing their concerns, and joining labor organizations to fight for labor inequality. History of Guest Worker Programs Migrant workers have been the primary foundation for the developed and rich agriculture we see today in America. The desire to bring migrant workers to America began during the start of World War I. With the increase in manufacturing and military jobs, low wage jobs became undesirable to domestic workers. Seeing the struggles to attract domestic workers, farmers turned to the government in hopes that they would intervene to attract workers, arguing that food production was essential for the war effort (Ferris, Sandoval, & Hembree, 1997). To compensate the farmers for the lack of workers, congress passed the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1917, to constitute the legal foundation for the importation of workers. From the years 1917 to 1921, about 73 thousand Mexicans entered the U.S. under the IAN Act
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