Velásquez decided that the union 's first target should be the Campbell Soup Company . The goal was three-way bargaining : The produce buyer ( Campbell 's ) would pay slightly more for produce , which would allow growers to pay farmworkers much higher wages . Velásquez asked migrant workers in 1978 to strike growers with contracts with Campbell 's , and 2,000 farm workers walked off the job . Velásquez required that all strikers be trained in nonviolent protest techniques , and he worked closely with local churches and religious groups so that large numbers of clergy and nuns were present ( which inhibited violence ) . Campbell 's denied any involvement in the strike ( claiming the union 's dispute was with the growers and not the soup company ) , and Velásquez announced a boycott in 1979 . In August 1983 , Velasquez led migrant workers on a protest march from the union headquarters in Toledo , Ohio , to Campbell 's headquarters in Camden , New Jersey . Four months later , he took out advertisements in newspapers denouncing the conditions in the fields , and Campbell 's responded with ads promoting its labor practices . Campbell 's said the strike and boycott was having no effect on the company , and the United Food and Commercial Workers and AFL-CIO opposed FLOC 's boycott out of concern that it would harm union members working for Campbell 's . At the 1984 Democratic National Convention , Velásquez strategically positioned farmworkers in the audience with signs reading " Boycott Campbell 's . " Cameras focused on the signs during a prime time speech by Democratic presidential candidate Rev. Jesse Jackson , which raised the profile of the boycott ( but otherwise seemed to have little effect ) . Velásquez also encouraged stockholders to sell their company shares , and for schools and parents to not participate in the company 's program which donated money to local schools in exchange for product purchases . On the advice of Ray Rogers , a comprehensive campaign expert , Velásquez agreed to raise the financial pressure on Campbell . A shareholder resolution to recognize FLOC was introduced at the 1984 company stockholder meeting , but it was easily defeated ( 27.3 million shares to 263,906 shares ) . Velásquez and about 200 FLOC members picketed the shareholder meeting , which was held under heavy security . Velásquez also put pressure on directors of Prudential Insurance Company , Equitable Life Assurance Society , and Philadelphia National Bank , many of whom also were directors of Campbell 's , to resign from the Cambell 's board or face a stockholder campaign as well . After two years of the widened financial campaign , Campbell agreed to the nation 's first three-way collective bargaining agreement on February 23 , 1986 . Although it only covered 600 workers at 16 tomato growers in Ohio and 12 cucumber growers in Michigan , an additional 71 growers agreed to hold union organizing elections in the summer of 1986
1984 Democratic National Convention
1984 Democratic National Convention
Baldemar Velasquez