Andy Imutan

Andy Imutan

Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Andy Imutan was born on March 8, 1926, in Manila, Philippines; he came to the United States with his wife in 1965; her parents petitioned for her to come to the United States; Andy and his wife came to Los Angeles, California, before going to Delano, California to work; he quickly became involved with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO); eventually, he was in charge of the Stockton and Delano, California, chapters of the organization; later, he began his own Filipino organization, which helped families and young wives acquire various work skills; he ultimately returned to the Philippines.


Summary of Interview: Mr. Imutan very briefly describes his travels from the Philippines to California; he began working in Delano, California, but he quickly became involved with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO); in September of 1965, he was part of a strike that was a continuation of earlier efforts in Coachella, California, to achieve better pay; events in Coachella turned violent, with people getting hurt and equipment being damaged; after demands were met in Coachella, the same companies refused the same wages in Delano, hence the continuing strike; within roughly a week, Cesar Chavez joined the strike; Andy goes on to comment on the Filipino work crews, as well as their community and union interactions with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC); in addition, he details his organizing and fundraising efforts with the union, as well as his various travels; eventually, Chavez put him in charge of the Stockton and Delano, California, chapters of the organization; later, he began his own Filipino organization, which helped families and young wives acquire various work skills; he ultimately returned to the Philippines.

Imutan, Andy

2005-09-27

Activist

Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso

eng

Andy Imutan

Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso

No

Mini Disc

50:00

24 bit
96 k

Steve Velasquez, Harry Rubenstein and Peter Liebhold

Imutan, Andy

Washington, D.C.

Imutan_WAS002