Documenting History: Strike! National Florist Workers v. Kitayama

Strike! National Florist Workers v. Kitayama
Priscilla Falcón, Ph.D.
Vanishing Horizons - 2024

July 1, 1968 -- The National Florist Workers Organization (NFWO) called a labor strike at Kitayama Carnations and Rose Company in Brighton, Colorado. Although the strike did not attract as much media attention as other labor struggles, the Kitayama strike was a significant event in the history of the Chicano Movement and the class struggle.  The greenhouse workers were primarily Chicanas and Chicanos from the rural communities north of Denver. Their grievances included long hours, poor and unhealthy working conditions, lack of sanitary eating areas and low wages (below the federal minimum wage.) Kitayama Brothers, Inc., was an influential member of the National Association of Florists. Before the strike ended, Union President Guadalupe "Lupe" Briseño was fired, union members and their families were threatened, and various law enforcement agencies conducted surveillance of union activities and members.  

After more than eight months, the leadership of the strike, Briseño, Mary Sailes, Martha del Real, Mary Padilla, and Rachel Sandoval, agreed to end the strike with a non-violent protest.  The women chained themselves to the company gate.  Within minutes, they were tear-gassed by Weld County Sheriff Deputies.

Priscilla Falcón is a Professor Emerita in the Department of Chicana/o and Latinx Studies at the University of Northern Colorado.  Her meticulous research resulted in a detailed and authenticated retelling of the history of the Kitayama strike.  She conducted interviews with Lupe Briseño, and obtained affidavits from several of the key actors, including witnesses to the tear gas attack of the chained strikers. Her sources include court documents, pleadings and transcripts from agency hearings, press releases, newspaper articles, several photographs, and the NFWO Logbook.

Falcón's book will preserve an incident from the past that otherwise might have been lost.  Students, teachers, historians, and survivors of the heady days of 1968 - 1969 will appreciate Dr. Falcón's excellent effort.  As her publisher's motto says: Publishing the Past for the Future.  

Later.

_____________________

Manuel Ramos writes crime fiction. Read his latest story, Northside Nocturne, in the award-winning anthology Denver Noir, edited by Cynthia Swanson, published by Akashic Books.