During World War II, Latinas in San Francisco’s tortilla and tamale factories formed the “Tortilla Workers’ Union.” It was formally known Local 5-1 of the CIO’s United Cannery, Agricultural, and Packing Allied Workers of America (UCAPAWA).

Conditions were bad.

“In some of the plants, notably the Mexicana, almost feudal relations have existed for many years, with the employer paying the employees in groceries, or with the employee working to pay off a continuing and growing debt to employer,” reported the union.

After organizing the plants, UCAPAWA used its goodwill with the Roosevelt administration to raise salaries during a period of wage and price controls.

The factories were located in a number of neighborhoods, suggesting that Latinos lived not only in the Mission District but in other areas as well. Read the rest of this entry »