The Onion Strike of 1979

The Raymondville Onion Strike took place in 1979 on account of their wages being cut because of onion prices. Being known as the “Onion Capital of the World” the strike started off as a wage problem then other problems arose with working conditions and class confrontation. Tony Andrea, who organized the strike, caught the attention of the Civil Rights movement. The strikewas did catch attention but not national. The strike lasted seven days and it was successful enough to where the onion harvest was shut down. The strike was crushed by anglo business men who purchased the field from the original owner and then  recruited other workers and fired those who participated in the strike.