Nation’s largest farmworkers union will not take part in Cesar Chavez Day events after allegations surface
SHERIFF’S OFFICE. NOW TO ANOTHER MAJOR STORY. WE’RE FOLLOWING THE NATION’S LARGEST LABOR GROUP FOUNDED BY CESAR CHAVEZ IS CANCELING ACTIVITIES IN HIS HONOR FOR THAT HOLIDAY AFTER ALLEGATIONS SURFACED OF INAPPROPRIATE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR. A POST ON HIS FOUNDATION’S WEBSITE ADDRESSING THE ALLEGATIONS, SAYING THAT IT HAPPENED DECADES AGO DURING HIS TIME AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED FARM WORKERS OF AMERICA. THIS ALL COMES TWO WEEKS BEFORE CESAR CHAVEZ DAY. KCRA 3’S MELANIE WINGO HAS BEEN DIGGING INTO THIS. JOINING US LIVE RIGHT NOW. SHE’S AT CHAVEZ PLAZA HERE IN SACRAMENTO WITH THE LATEST MELANIE. YEAH. THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE CIVIC AMENITIES IN PARKS. AND YOU SEE STATUES ALL NAMED AFTER THE LATE LABOR LEADER, SAY SARA CHAVEZ. AND WITH SO MANY EVENTS SET TO HAPPEN THIS MONTH IN HONOR OF HIS LEGACY, WE REACHED OUT TO SOME LOCAL LEADERS FOR THEIR REACTION TO THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM THAT JUST SURFACED REVELATIONS THAT THE LATE CO-FOUNDER OF THE UNITED FARM WORKERS ORGANIZATION IS FACING ABUSE ALLEGATIONS UPSETTING TO WORKERS, RIGHTS ADVOCATES AND COMMUNITY LEADERS ALIKE. IT WAS PRETTY DEVASTATING. CESAR CHAVEZ IS DEFINITELY A FIGURE THAT THE LATINO COMMUNITY LOOKS UP TO. VICE MAYOR FOR THE CITY OF DAVIS, GLORIA PARTIDA, SHARING WITH US. SHE’S STILL PROCESSING THE NEWS. AND RIGHT NOW, IT’S NOT CLEAR HOW COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS TRADITIONALLY HELD ON OR NEAR CESAR CHAVEZ’S BIRTHDAY, MARCH 31ST WILL TAKE SHAPE. BUT THAT EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE PAST AND THOSE THAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE, ARE ABOUT THE BROADER MOVEMENT FOR WORKERS RIGHTS THAT BEGAN DECADES AGO. BUT THERE WERE MANY, MANY PEOPLE THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THAT MOVEMENT TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL. THERE WERE ALLIES. AND AND, YOU KNOW, JUST NO ONE CAN DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS ALONE. AND THE IMPACT OF THE MOVEMENT SAVED LIVES AND, YOU KNOW, CHANGE PEOPLE’S LIVES, THE TRAJECTORY OF THEIR LIVES. AND NONE OF THAT SHOULD BE NEGATED. PARTIDA ALSO COMMENDING THE UNITED FARM WORKERS ORGANIZATION FOR ADDRESSING THE ISSUE HEAD ON. IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOT SHY AWAY FROM THE DIFFICULTY OF IT AND TO BE ACCOUNTABLE. YOU KNOW, AS A COMMUNITY, REMINDING PEOPLE, ADVOCATING FOR WORKERS RIGHTS HASN’T EVER STOPPED, WITH MANY LEADING THE CHARGE AND THE MOVEMENT FOR, YOU KNOW, WORKERS RIGHTS AND, AND FOR THEIR SAFETY CONTINUES EVEN TODAY AND CONTINUES EVEN WITHOUT CESAR CHAVEZ. ALSO TONIGHT, WE HEARD FROM SACRAMENTO CITY COUNCIL MEMBER ERIC GUERRA, WHO SHARED THIS PERSPECTIVE WITH US. IN A STATEMENT. HE WRITES, AS A FATHER OF TWO YOUNG CHILDREN, I AM DEEPLY TROUBLED BY THE SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS THAT HAVE COME TO LIGHT REGARDING CESAR CHAVEZ. I CONDEMN ANY AND ALL ACTIONS THAT CAUSE HARM TO CHILDREN IN THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE TERMS, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO BE A VOICE FOR VICTIMS OF ABUSE. THAT STATEMENT GOING ON TO READ GROWING UP AS A FARM WORKER AND THE SON OF FARM WORKERS, I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE SACRIFICES AND STRUGGLES OF THOSE WHOSE BLOOD, SWEAT AND LABOR FEED US. THESE ALLEGATIONS SHOULD NOT DIMINISH THE VERY REAL INJUSTICES THAT FARM WORKERS CONTINUE TO FACE TODAY. INJUSTICES THAT DESERVE OUR FULL ATTENTION AND ACTION. AND BACK OUT HERE LIVE. EDIE AND GULSTAN DART DOES REMAIN TO BE SEEN AT THIS POINT. WHAT, IF ANY, PUBLIC CELEBRATIONS IN CESAR CHAVEZ’S HONOR WILL BE RENAMED OR RETHOUGHT IN THE COMING WEEKS? REPORTING LIVE IN DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO MELANIE WINGO KCRA THREE NEWS. AN
Nation’s largest farmworkers union will not take part in Cesar Chavez Day events after allegations surface
Updated: 6:32 PM PDT Mar 17, 2026
The nation’s largest labor group that represents thousands of farmworkers said on Tuesday it will not take part in any Cesar Chavez Day activities after allegations against the civil rights activist and union co-founder recently surfaced.While United Farm Workers said it does not have any direct reports or firsthand knowledge of the allegations, the group said in a release that “the allegations are serious enough that we feel compelled to take urgent steps to learn more and provide space for people who may have been victimized to find support and to share their stories if that is what they choose.”UFW’s release stated it is not the group’s place to comment on the reports, some of which are family issues. But UFW said what it found “far more troubling are allegations involving abuse of young women or minors.””Allegations that very young women or girls may have been victimized are crushing,” UFW said in its release.Following the surfacing of the allegations, UFW said it is working to establish a confidential and independent channel for those who may have been harmed by Chavez during the union’s early days.Cesar Chavez Day is March 31, and instead of participating in any activities related to Chavez, UFW said it will call on allies and supporters to take part in immigration justice events and acts of service to help farmworkers and other vulnerable people in their communities. Chavez was known for advocating for better workplace conditions for farmworkers. He founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became UFW.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
The nation’s largest labor group that represents thousands of farmworkers said on Tuesday it will not take part in any Cesar Chavez Day activities after allegations against the civil rights activist and union co-founder recently surfaced.
While United Farm Workers said it does not have any direct reports or firsthand knowledge of the allegations, the group said in a release that “the allegations are serious enough that we feel compelled to take urgent steps to learn more and provide space for people who may have been victimized to find support and to share their stories if that is what they choose.”
UFW’s release stated it is not the group’s place to comment on the reports, some of which are family issues. But UFW said what it found “far more troubling are allegations involving abuse of young women or minors.”
“Allegations that very young women or girls may have been victimized are crushing,” UFW said in its release.
Following the surfacing of the allegations, UFW said it is working to establish a confidential and independent channel for those who may have been harmed by Chavez during the union’s early days.
Cesar Chavez Day is March 31, and instead of participating in any activities related to Chavez, UFW said it will call on allies and supporters to take part in immigration justice events and acts of service to help farmworkers and other vulnerable people in their communities.
Chavez was known for advocating for better workplace conditions for farmworkers. He founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became UFW.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel