CANNERY WORKERS, CANNERY LIVES OVERVIEW 

By the turn of the 20th century, food processing had become the second largest industry in California.  The Santa Clara Valley was established as the “capital” of the fruit canning and drying center of the nation. Promotional literature portrayed Santa Clara County as a community of white farmers, with no mention of seasonal immigrants working in agriculture, railroads and mining. Before WWII some early immigrants, including the Japanese, Italians and Portuguese, had managed to move up from farm laborer to cannery worker or farm leaser or owner.

Not until WWII would higher paying year-round cannery jobs in Santa Clara County open up to Mexican workers. Field and orchard work was physically demanding, and many considered cannery jobs easier. However, cannery employment had its own fractious problems that divided workers by ethnicity, race, gender, English language abilities and citizenship.  The shared experiences of cannery workers at work, and at home, would strengthen both kinship and social networks. The higher paying unionized cannery jobs allowed ethnic Mexican cannery workers to move into homeownership and permanent settlement in Santa Clara County.

EXHIBIT   MINI DOC