Our Story
In 1990, the closure of Levi Strauss manufacturing plants in San Antonio left 1,150 workers, primarily Mexican and Mexican American women, without jobs or compensation. Fueled by anger and determination, Viola Casares and Petra Mata led a movement that birthed Fuerza Unida. Through protests, boycotts, and hunger strikes, they fought for the severance pay these workers deserved. Although their class action lawsuit was dismissed, their relentless activism paved the way for future severance packages. Today, Fuerza Unida continues to empower women workers and advocate for social, economic, and environmental justice.