Chicano Voices from Cannery Row

By: Reese Erlich

Narrated by: Dennis Bartel, Reese Ehrlich

Length: 24 mins

Publisher's summary

Watsonville, California is part of the Salinas Valley, America’s salad bowl, and some of the most fertile land in this country. Watsonville served as home to canneries that produced most of the frozen food products sold in the United States. In 1985, nearly half the town’s 4,000 cannery workers went on strike. The strike was remarkable for a number of reasons. The workers were mostly women of Mexican heritage, many single mothers. For eighteen months, no striking worker crossed the picket line, forcing the canning owners to hire unskilled labor. As one of the companies teetered on the edge of bankruptcy, the workers won an agreement. Producer Reese Ehrlich tells the story of the Watsonville Strike, with interviews from some of the original participants.

The Soundprint documentary series features the best work of top radio producers. The award winning documentaries are renowned for drawing the listener into the story with compelling interviews, authentic voices and rich sound. From memoirs to science, health and popular culture, Soundprint creates a powerful experience the listener will not soon forget.

©1988 SMCI (P)2013 SMCI

Inspiring

inspiring to hear the determination of the immigrant worker leaders, should be shared in all high school classrooms especially in California

Chicano Voices Interviewed

This interview style narrative is about the Watsonville Canning Strike of 1985-1987. Interviews are from the workers primarily and it gives a sense of the circumstances surrounding the strike. Overall a great "read", especially historically and especially if you are from the area. While I'm glad this is obtainable information I much rather it be told by a Chicano.