Story of Filipino labor leader in the US retold

The New York Times  featured on its Friday, October 19, edition the story of forgotten Filipino labor leader Larry Itliong. He was said to be responsible for setting the groundwork for Cesar Chavez, the now famous Latino American civil rights activist, and the agricultural labor union, the United Farm Workers of America (UFWA). According to the Times, it was the Filipinos who were called the “Delano manongs” who helped create UFWA. Leader of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee, Itliong led a strike in September 1965 of Filipinos working for Coachella Valley grape growers in California. They wanted to push for better working conditions. Itliong later approached Chavez for support as the latter was then with the National Farm Workers Association. Their alliance led to the creation in 1966 of UFWA, with Itliong serving as assistant director. His son Johnny wants California to observe a Larry Itliong Day and make it a national day of remembrance.

Read the full story on Rappler. 

More details are available in The New York Times.