Bracero-Labour-Union+HL

// Bracero: Spanish term for manual laborer //
 * BRACERO! BRACERO! BRACERO! **

//So while some of the guys went off to volunteer for the war, Mexico created the agreement with the US://



Bracero Program of 1942

__** WHY? **__ Cause: **Defense industries grew** and many workers **went off to war** (either drafted or volunteer -- the volunteer number was significantly high during this time).

Effect: **Acute shortages** of labor -- enough to concern any industry Essentially **thousands and thousands contracts were signed over** in this process. Latino men and women targeted mostly agriculture, such as apple picking, getting even orders by farmers requesting their aid. But they were also called for various other industries. Example? Railroads were built by some 100,000 plus Mexicans contracted between 1943-45.



Life for a Mexican immigrant worker was horrible. The lived in "box car camps" -- literally little shack neighborhoods with little to no contact with the American population. Living conditions and standards summed up as **substandard**, with no healthcare, no recreation, no legal aid, no translators...etc.
 * __ So, what was life like for them? __**



Case example: //Philadelphia's International Institute's __Philadelphia Regional Committee of Mexican War Workers__// working as **immigrant aid**.
 * //But it was not permanent...//**

What'd they do: Gave them english classes, recreational activities, organize sports events, day trips and even create Sunday fiestas; **basically improving daily life**. But most of all, they helped **decrease** the onset of **pro****blems and disputes over contracts**. Automatic deductions from paychecks **lead to animosity** between the Pennsylvania Railroad and its employees and often the committee was called to negotiate.

Primary source: a document of claims and complaints concerning Mexican wages [[|click here]].

__** This was not the end... **__ During the 1940s-50s Mexicans would **migrate to cities**.



Cause: Most **war-related industries** are in **urban** areas. Effect: Mexican American population migrates from places like Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas... (most of the **farm areas**). California experienced a great increase in Mexican Americans because of this.

__** Works Cited (all pictures) **__: [] [] [] [] [] http://m.se.hccs.edu/Users/history.department/Web/index.php?p=Hist1302VRPSDOC