Cesar Chavez Page #3

He's not my boss.

And our tax dollars pay

for this public road.

Tax dollars?

There's your tax dollars.

(COUGHING)

- (G ROANS)

- MAN:
Hey, Gilbert!

(INDISTINCT)

Hey, that's enough now. Come on, that's

all. Let's go. Get on over here.

CESAR:
Hello, you are late.

NEWSCASTER:
Farm workers

in Delano, California

have begun an unprecedented strike

in the central valley.

Filipino and Mexican workers

have joined forces

to demand fair wages and better working

conditions for their members.

REPORTER:
Would you say that most of

your workers are making a decent living?

FOREMAN:
All I can say is that the men

have to be their judges of their own,

what they want,

because they have chosen this way of life

and, if they were not happy,

they wouldn't be here.

How much have you been getting

for a day's work?

Only two dollars.

- Two dollars a day?

- Yes.

- Are you sure it's not broken?

- CESAR:
I'm sure.

(SIGHS)

Dad?

It's okay, Fernando.

Go back to sleep, please.

I said go back to sleep, Fernando,

you have school tomorrow.

Here. Put it on.

(CHUCKLES)

Does this help?

I told you five minutes ago

to sit down at the table.

Mmm.

To all the growers, their lawyers

and this garbage injunction.

At least they finally got Fred

to come down here.

This court ruling bans all mass picketing.

Mmm. And the best part,

they got a ban on saying

the word "Huelga" anywhere near the fields.

- GILBERT:
"Huelga f?"

- "Huelga-"

Can you say "Strike"?

As long as you don't translate it.

You would think a bunch of lawyers

would have heard of the First Amendment.

It's a joke.

They'll get it thrown out on appeal.

Yeah, by the time the state court

hears the appeals,

the grapes will be picked,

the growers know that.

There's only one thing we can do.

We have to get people

to violate the injunction,

and make the Sheriff enforce it.

You mean get arrested.

Make them arrest us and fill up the jails?

And give the white press

exactly what they want? Hmm?

Rowdy Mexicans in jail.

Have you had your head in the dirt

this whole time?

Things are changing.

Okay, but who is gonna go?

I'll do it.

Once they get you in their jails,

they can figure out ways of keeping

you there a long time, Cesar.

So I'll do it.

Do what?

I'll get arrested.

(LAUGHING)

You can't get arrested.

What? Why not?

Well, who is going to

take care of the kids?

The kids are fine.

- They are big, they take care of themselves.

- No.

Cesar, you are the one who says

we can't ask our members

to do things we are not willing

to do ourselves.

I said no.

Dolores, what do you think?

I think it's a good idea.

I think it's a good idea, too.

Come, let's eat.

You know how it works,

they don't understand.

Strike!

Strike!

Mrs. Chavez,

we have a court order that forbids you

from saying the word "Huelga. "

Strike!

This is your first warning, Mrs. Chavez.

This is your second!

(REPEATING)

(REPEATING)

(ALL REPEATING)

- Good morning to you.

- Good morning, sir.

- Good morning, Grace.

- Good morning.

Call my wife and tell her

I'm not going to be able to make lunch.

Come on, let's go.

I need you to take the trucks across

the border into Mexico,

and I want y'all to bring me back

some illegals

who are willing to work

for an honest day's pay.

And I want you to bring them back here

by the truckload, you hear me.

'Cause we are gonna break

this goddamn strike.

You'll see what these sons of b*tches do

when they see their cousins

out there working on 'em fields.

(HORN HONKING)

Everyone gather up.

Who's thirsty?

Here, have some cold water.

It's free...

I've been told that some union members

affiliated with the communist party

have been talking with you.

Making promises.

These promises are nothing but lies.

You could even end up in jail.

And for what?

What's wrong, Cruz?

Aren't you thirsty?

If any of you has a problem,

tell me about it.

We don't want any problems here.

- Jail was amazing?

- Yeah, it was.

I got to meet so many amazing people.

There was this woman, Irene,

she was so smart, and I'm gonna

put her on the Credit Union.

And also there was this man

who was laying next to me.

Laying next to you?

Yeah, I saw when he got arrested.

The cops were beating him,

and they were calling him names,

and they were trying to get him

to fight back and he wouldn't.

Do you plan on seeing him again?

Cesar, I don't know what

you are talking about.

Well, you know what? Maybe we can

make him part of the team, you know?

We are always looking for good men.

I mean amazing.

'Cause it was amazing, right?

- Cesar, don't be jealous.

- No.

I'm not jealous.

I'm just glad that you had

such a good time in jail.

(CAR HORN HONKING)

Cesar!

Cesar! Hey, Cesar!

It's Jerry Cohen, remember me?

- Who's that?

- He's a lawyer.

You know that man?

How much do you know about

what we are doing?

I've been analyzing your strategy,

and one thing is clear,

you have to stop these injunctions.

I mean they are a catch-22,

the bail alone is going to bankrupt you.

With all due respect,

I know you went to a fancy school,

that doesn't make you an expert.

Well, I also worked the California Rural

Legal Assistance.

- For how long?

- Two years.

Two years, huh? Why did you leave?

Um...

It's complicated.

That's what I heard.

You are hired.

Hired?

I want you full time, starting now.

I thought maybe I'd do some consulting?

No, as of now you are in charge

of the United Farm Workers' legal team.

- Who else is on the team?

- Just you.

Doesn't it take more than one person

to make a team?

Oh, you'll be doing more work

than one person.

Against one of the biggest

law firms in California.

And you'll be getting paid

five dollars a week.

Five dollars a week?

You'll be happy to know that

makes you the highest paid employee.

Also our lowest paid employee.

Everybody makes five dollars a week?

Hey! If you wanna make money,

go work for the growers.

(LAUGHS)

(PLAYING LIVELY MUSIC)

(HELEN SPEAKING)

We're here to help.

Don't be afraid.

(ALL SINGING)

United we will stand.

They will not defeat us.

United we will stand.

They will not defeat us.

This movement is for you, the people.

They will not defeat us.

Long live the strike!

Long live Cesar Chavez!

Son! Son!

They're not paying you enough!

Come join us!

Join the cause!

Son, they're not paying you enough.

Don't betray your people.

Hey, come join us!

Come!

Don't be afraid!

Come on, come on, come on!

Come!

Get closer!

(CLAMORING)

- Closer together!

- Run, get together!

Move back! Move back!

(ENGINE ROARING)

We are not leaving!

Don't move! Stay together.

(ENGINE STOPS)

(ENGINE STARTING)

CESAR:
Pesticide! Helen!

Helen!

(PEOPLE COUGHING)

- it burns.

- I know.

(EXHALES)

I almost got it.

That was really scary, Cesar.

What if something happened to us?

What would happen to the kids?

DOLORES:
People are starting to lose hope,

and I don't blame them.

They know the growers have broken

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