Defending our justice and yours!

In 1990, Levi Strauss closed three manufacturing plants in San Antonio leaving 1,150 Southsiders (primarily Mexican and Mexican American women) jobless with out any compensation for the sudden layoff. Viola Casares, angered by the lack of support, banded with Petra Mata and hundreds of others to fight for the severance pay they deserved. Thus, Fuerza Unida was born. These strong women spent the majority of the early 90’s protesting Levis’ decision through numerous boycotts, hunger strikes, and protests.

Co-Founder, Viola, went as long as 21 days without food. That is equivalent to Ghandi’s longest strike! She hoped that sacrificing her time, sanity and health would grab enough attention to spread awareness of the blatant inequality that lives so freely in our country.

Finally, in 1993 Fuerza Unida filed a class action lawsuit against Levis’ arguing that the closure of the plant discriminated against Fuerza’s members who filed worker’s compensation claims. The case and it’s appeal were not only dismissed but mocked to that extent that the judge, United States District Judge H.F. Garcia, charged the attorney representing Fuerza Unida $5000 for "filing a frivolous claim."

The disrespect from the courts only ignited a larger storm. Fuerza Unida spent the rest of the 90’s traveling all over the world to spread their story while maintaining a non-profit/grassroots organization here in San Antonio. The group also banded with other grassroot groups and organized more wide-spread hunger strikes. Some so large they even spread to Mexico.

Fuerza Unida’s struggle and determination brought Levis’ to provide severage packages for the employees who came after them, but Levi Strauss has neglected to fulfill the founders of Fuerza Unida’s request to receive a similar package. A Levis’ representative confirmed that the group’s noise was a factor in determining the company's severance package offerings in later layoffs.

Our Mission

Fuerza Unida’s mission is to empower women workers, particularly women workers of color, and their families to achieve social, economic and environmental justice through education, organizing and advocacy. A special part of Fuerza Unida’s mission is to address issues confronting garment workers in economic crisis because of plant closings and lay-offs. Fuerza Unida words to advance the rights of women, immigrants, low-income workers, and communities of color by providing education, training, guidance, and accessible information so that they may protect their rights and those of their families and communities.