H.R. No. 600
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Dolores Huerta, who founded with Cesar Chávez the
United Farm Workers (UFW) union, has been a driving force in the
American labor movement for four decades; and
WHEREAS, Born in a small New Mexican mining town, Ms. Huerta
grew up in Stockton, California, a farmworker community in the San
Joaquin Valley; she received a teaching degree from Delta Community
College and began a career in elementary education, but the
impoverished plight of her students stirred the social conscience
bred into her by a caring, activist mother; in 1955 she helped to
found the Stockton chapter of the Community Service Organization
(CSO), a grassroots group that had originated in the barrios of Los
Angeles; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Huerta was soon working for the CSO full time,
and in 1960 she further expanded the scope of her activities by
founding the Agricultural Workers Association; possessing an
astute political sense, she began lobbying the California
legislature, and from 1960 to 1962 she played an instrumental role
in the passage of 15 bills, among them legislation that enabled
farmworkers to receive disability and unemployment insurance,
public assistance, and retirement benefits; and
WHEREAS, In 1962, determined to found a union for
farmworkers, who had no group to represent them, Dolores Huerta and
Cesar Chávez created the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA);
the forerunner of the UFW, this group gained prominence in 1965 when
it came to the support of workers striking against California grape
growers; Ms. Huerta directed a nationwide grape boycott, which
ultimately led to the first collective bargaining agreement in the
United States between farmworkers and an agricultural corporation;
and
WHEREAS, The leading contract negotiator for the UFW, Ms.
Huerta was responsible, together with Mr. Chávez, for establishing
the first medical plan, the first pension plan, and the first credit
union for farmworkers; the two also created the National Farm
Workers Service Center, which builds affordable housing for
low-income workers and which operates a number of Spanish-language
radio stations; and
WHEREAS, In addition to organizing for the UFW, Ms. Huerta
has continued to work for its causes through the years; her efforts
have contributed to the passage of major legislation in California
bearing on the right of workers to organize and on mediation to
resolve strikes, as well as the federal Immigration Act of 1985,
which allowed many undocumented workers to apply for legal status;
and
WHEREAS, Ms. Huerta served as secretary-treasurer of the UFW,
vice president of the Coalition for Labor Union Women, and vice
president of the California AFL-CIO; moreover, she has shared her
expertise as a member of several state and federal commissions and
as a board member of various national organizations promoting
democracy and civic engagement; and
WHEREAS, Her numerous accolades include the Outstanding
Labor Leader Award of the California State Senate, induction into
the National Women's Hall of Fame, tribute from the American Civil
Liberties Union, and three honorary doctorates; and
WHEREAS, One of this country's preeminent labor leaders,
Dolores Huerta continues to render extraordinary service in behalf
of this nation's working men and women, and it is indeed fitting
that she be recognized for her enormous contributions to the
advancement of social and economic justice; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas
Legislature hereby honor Dolores Huerta for her exceptional
achievements as a labor advocate and commend her for her unwavering
commitment to securing a brighter future for America's farmworkers
and their families; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Ms. Huerta as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives.
Chavez
Olivo
Luna
Alonzo
Thompson
Burnam
Canales
Capelo
Castro
Davis of Dallas
Deshotel
Dukes
Eiland
Farrar
Garza
Giddings
Guillen
Gutierrez
Hodge
Jones of Dallas
Martinez Fischer
McClendon
Menendez
Moreno of Harris
Moreno of El Paso
Naishtat
Noriega
Pena
Pickett
Puente
Quintanilla
Raymond
Reyna
Rodriguez
Solis
Uresti
Wilson
Wise
Craddick
Giddings
Merritt
Allen
Goodman
Miller
Alonzo
Goolsby
Moreno of Harris
Bailey
Griggs
Moreno of El Paso
Baxter
Grusendorf
Morrison
Berman
Guillen
Mowery
Bohac
Gutierrez
Naishtat
Bonnen
Haggerty
Nixon
Branch
Hamilton
Noriega
Brown of Kaufman
Hamric
Oliveira
Brown of Brazos
Hardcastle
Olivo
Burnam
Harper-Brown
Paxton
Callegari
Hartnett
Pena
Campbell
Heflin
Phillips
Canales
Hegar
Pickett
Capelo
Hilderbran
Pitts
Casteel
Hill
Puente
Castro
Hochberg
Quintanilla
Chavez
Hodge
Raymond
Chisum
Homer
Reyna
Christian
Hope
Riddle
Coleman
Hopson
Ritter
Cook of Navarro
Howard
Rodriguez
Cook of Colorado
Hughes
Rose
Corte
Hunter
Seaman
Crabb
Hupp
Smith of Tarrant
Crownover
Isett
Smith of Harris
Davis of Harris
Jones of Lubbock
Smithee
Davis of Dallas
Jones of Bexar
Solis
Dawson
Jones of Dallas
Solomons
Delisi
Keel
Stick
Denny
Keffer of Dallas
Swinford
Deshotel
Keffer of Eastland
Talton
Driver
King
Taylor
Dukes
Kolkhorst
Telford
Dunnam
Krusee
Thompson
Dutton
Kuempel
Truitt
Edwards
Laney
Turner
Eiland
Laubenberg
Uresti
Eissler
Lewis
Van Arsdale
Elkins
Luna
Villarreal
Ellis
Mabry
West
Farabee
Madden
Wilson
Farrar
Marchant
Wise
Flores
Martinez Fischer
Wohlgemuth
Flynn
McCall
Wolens
Gallego
McClendon
Wong
Garza
McReynolds
Woolley
Gattis
Menendez
Zedler
Geren
Mercer
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 600 was adopted by the House on March
27, 2003, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House