Topic: United Farm Workers

Labor icon Cesar Chavez is facing widespread deplatforming following sexual assault allegations made by 95-year-old activist Dolores Huerta. California Governor Gavin Newsom and Texas Governor Greg Abbott have both responded by distancing their states from Chavez, with Abbott directing the removal of Cesar Chavez Day from state law. The United Farm Workers (UFW) and the city of Los Angeles have also canceled planned celebrations in light of the "widely acknowledged" allegations.

The Trump administration is consolidating the H-2A guest worker program under the Labor Department to streamline seasonal hiring for farmers and hotel operators. A new interim rule changes how wages are calculated, potentially lowering farm worker pay by several dollars per hour to save employers an estimated $24 billion over ten years. Simultaneously, the administration is suing the United Farm Workers (UFW) over wage disputes, a move obscured by the recent focus on Cesar Chavez's personal reputation.