Cesar Chavez made a major contribution to the way in which farm labor and migrant workers were treated in the United States. His nonviolent methods of protest became a banner cry across the country for all workers that were forced to work for low wages and in poor conditions.

 

By 1962, Cesar became the founder of the National Farm Workers Association that would later be the UFW, United Farm Workers. He designed a flag that was the symbol of the organization and he wanted it to be seen as a symbol of dignity. In 1970 the UFW had the grape growers to accept a labor union contract and this step allowed 50,000 paying members to become an organized group in the industry. His leadership, combined with nonviolent actions prompted a 340 mile march in protest and the Delano grape strike to require that the state allow farm workers to organize into a union which would bring ‘collective bargaining’ (bargaining with power in numbers) and for safe working conditions. The workers carried a flag with the symbol and the words ‘Viva La Causa’ (Long live our cause).

​

​