Los Angeles, California - Lawmakers in California said Thursday they will rename the Cesar Chavez Day state holiday in the wake of disturbing allegations of sexual abuse by the late labor rights icon.

"California's farmworker rights movement never has been about one individual. To the survivors who have found the courage to come forward, uplifting the movement's values of dignity and justice, and demanding accountability, our hearts are with you always," said a statement issued by senior legislators.

"To honor the movement's rich California history and the steadfast dedication behind it, we are putting forward legislation to designate the following 2026 state holiday in California: Farmworkers Day," the statement added, referring to the March 31 celebration.

The move came after a bombshell New York Times investigation said the co-founder of the United Farm Workers union was a serial rapist who abused children and harassed women in the movement he led.

Chavez, who died in 1993, rallied California's largely Latino farmworkers starting in the 1950s to win improvements in working conditions.

He led huge marches and national boycotts that brought about lasting change, as it transformed him into a figure revered throughout the labor movement.

Former president Bill Clinton posthumously awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and Joe Biden had a bust of Chavez installed in the Oval Office.