It's 1937 in Texas. Petra lives with her stepmother and two younger siblings. She is studying hard so she can keep the promise she made to her father. Her goal is to graduate high school and become a writer who travels the world. However, since her father's death, it has become harder and harder for the family to survive.
Petra's stepmother works at the nearby pecan shelling factory. The money she makes isn't enough to pay the rent and feed and clothe the children. She tells Petra she will have to quit school to work alongside the women shelling pecans. The work is difficult, and the conditions are horrible. Even with Petra's pay, there still never seems to be enough money.
The factory is filled with dust from the pecans. The workers are constantly coughing, and many develop tuberculosis. When the boss announces that wages will be cut yet again, Petra and the workers decide it is time for action. They go on strike. While picketing, Petra and several others are arrested and spend the night in jail. Forming a union becomes the objective.
THE PECAN SHELLER is a work of historical fiction highlighting the early formation of unions in Texas. Author Lupe Ruiz-Flores paints a clear picture of harsh working conditions and greedy factory owners. Petra becomes an example of women fighting for their rights in the workplace in the early 20th century.
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