“If people took the time to learn about our culture they would know that we weren’t so much different but instead they came out and annihilated us and those that didn’t want to be [in] the indentured slavery were shot and killed.”
James is the first indigenous person to be elected to both State Assembly and State Legislature, serving as the Assemblymember for the 45th District of California. He is an enrolled member of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. He has also received support from various unions in the region including Teamsters Local 1932, IBEW 477, and Ironworkers 433. His insight into the labor movement tells the history of labor resistance in indigenous communities.
James Ramos recounts the stories of his people dating back to the mission system, and shares his knowledge of Native American labor in the region. His interview consisted of questions pertaining to the history of labor resistance of his peoples, and his personal experience in labor,
“We went from an invisible people in this area to all of a sudden people associated with just gaming. But there’s far more to us, in our history and our story that still needs to be told.”
Native American labor did not begin with casinos; the legacy of Native American slave labor and stolen land is deeply embedded in the history of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. James explains that his people were forced to dig the region’s first irrigation systems, known as ‘zanjas,’ using cow bones—the same systems that en-abled the agricultural industry to thrive in the area. As these counties built their reputations on agriculture, Native people were among the first to work in the fields, picking crops. Today, these regions are affectionately known for their groves and fruitful communities, but the story of forced labor significantly shaped the economic growth of cities like Redlands, Loma Linda, San Bernardino, Yucaipa, and Chino Hills for generations
He grew up on the reservation, where families like Ramos’s lived in trailers and made a living by selling fry bread, soda, and candy. His grandmother would buy items for 50 cents and sell them for 75 cents, making a small profit of a quarter. As the reservation evolved, smoke shops began to open, selling cigarettes without charging sales tax. This led to legal troubles, and because they couldn’t afford to fight the lawsuits, many of these smoke shops had to close. By around 1986, casinos started to open on the reservation, and they have continued to operate to this day. Ramos reflects on how his people, with their deep cultural roots, have come to be primarily associated with the gaming industry, a shift that he feels diminishes their broader story. While Native American people have been regarded as an afterthought in the “formal” Labor Movement, history shows that American Indian people, including James, his father, and his grandfather all have worked in unionized industries outside of gaming. His grandfather, Rawat Chikun, worked for Norton Air Force Base, his dad worked for the school system and was part of CSEA. James himself, was also represented by CSEA when he worked as a janitor in a school. Now he is proud of having moved forward with CWA to establish one of the first tribal governments to have a labor agreement.
