International Conference on the Defense of the Undocumented Worker, 1980
In spring of 1980, the Texas Farm Workers’ Union was invited to attend the International Conference on the Defense of the Undocumented Worker in Mexico City. Attendees at the conference included leaders from Mexican unions such as the Central Independiente de Obreros y Campesinos (CIOAC) and other American unions including the Arizona Farm Workers’ Union (AFW) and Centro Campesino ‘Adelante’, Arizona. The AFW and TFW shared similar tactics and ideologies, including a critical view of the UFW. The CIOAC and its paramilitary splinter group, CIOAC-Historica, continue to operate in Southern Mexico.
The purpose of the International Conference was to develop a declaration of rights for undocumented workers in the United States. The conference also developed a plan of action to protect the rights of undocumented workers. You can find the declaration and the plan of action in the materials below.
