19 Mar PCUN responds to allegations of abuse by Cesar E. Chavez

Response Statement to Cesar E. Chavez Allegations

SUBJECT: PCUN responds to allegations of abuse by Cesar E. Chavez

Earlier this week, the Cesar Chavez Foundation announced that allegations of prior abuse against women and children by Cesar Chavez, the founder of United Farm Workers, had come to light. 

Please consider the following statement from Reyna Lopez, Executive Director of PCUN, Oregon’s largest farmworker union, in response.

“These are profoundly shocking findings. We understand for many this is extremely difficult news to process. PCUN was founded with the values of equity, dignity, and respect. No leader is above accountability. We stand with the survivors of Chavez’s harmful actions, and with those reckoning with the gravity of these confirmed allegations. 

Our labor union was founded to end the exploitation of farm workers, immigrants and Latinx community members. Chavez’s actions are against everything we stand for. 

PCUN will not be engaging in Cesar Chavez Day Celebrations, and we will continue to move in community and collectively to ensure our response is one grounded in centering those most impacted, healing, and justice. We applaud and support the process of finding truth and reconciliation that the United Farm Workers, and Cesar Chavez Foundation are undertaking.

We will continue to stand side by side in solidarity with our partners in fighting for equal pay, safer working conditions, and greater political power for those who work tirelessly to put food on our tables each and every day.”

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