The Union of Their Dreams by Miriam Pawel…
A book review by Marc Cooper

LFT Editor’s Note

Cesar Chavez and the Farmworkers movement inspired generations of Chicano leadership. It is virtually impossible to mention a major Latino organization that was not founded by his adherents. Maclovio Barraza, a tough United Steelworkers organizer was joined by Henry Santiestevan and Esteban Torres from the United Auto Workers to form what was then called the Southwest Council of La Raza…the organization would later rename itself the National Council of la Raza. Southwest Voter’s Registration Project was the single-minded challenge of Willie Velazquez the son of a Butcher’s Union activist; NALEO’s first Chairman was Congressman Ed Roybal the legendary labor and community activist…all were friends, confidants, and supporters of Cesar.

The Chicano leadership today of a certain age, say 60 or so, were followers of Cesar. Many worked with the Union directly, some like Eliseo Medina of SEIU played significant roles in the Farmworkers early victories. Others like Congressman Raul Grijalva toiled unheralded organizing the early grape boycott across the southwest.

We have all elevated Cesar to an iconic status. All the sharp angles have been softened by time. When the Minutemen claimed Cesar as the first minuteman and quoted the Union’s virulent attack against “mojados” the response was outrage and knee-jerk apologist defenses. Few were ready to face the complex truth of Cesar then and the Union now. Doing so would endanger the image of the icon.

The publication of Miriam Pawel’s book, The Union of Their Dreams changes all of that. It faces the ugly truths squarely. It will force the keepers of the myth to fight back furiously and the whole community to try and place Cesar in the context of history and truth. Neither the Union, the huge charitable empire that has been created in Cesar’s name, or the Chavez family fare well under Pawel’s tough scrutiny. The portrait of Cesar as reluctant union leader, spiritual leader, ascetic, inspirational figure, extraordinary organizer, and ruthless defender of the movement he created emerges vividly in this telling.

Marc Cooper’s review of The Union of Their Dreams is extensive and captures the power and complexity of the book and the man.

… By 2005, the UFW held no contracts with any Central California table grape growers. Indeed, more than 40 years after its founding, only about 1 percent—or 5,000—of the state’s farmworkers were organized by the UFW. The union reaped revenues of $20 million to $30 million a year by cashing in on the iconic stature of its founder, who died in 1993. And it controlled a $150 million network of affiliated foundations, charities, service groups, construction firms and housing corporations, managed mostly by Cesar Chavez’s offspring and relatives. But it simply did not organize farmworkers. It was a family business. Not a union.