Farmworkers in the United States: Background for Teachers
Author: Embrey, Kay
Date Published: 2002
This report discusses the issues related to farmers and our nation's agricultural policies. Many of the difficulties facing the migrant workers are inherent in these jobs and the structure of this labor market. The risks embedded in this system are born almost entirely by the workers. These risks include: 1) When migrants are looking for work, most information available comes from word-of-mouth from other workers. People may travel days to arrive at an area where they heard there was work, only to find none. 2) Bad weather affects crops, farmers, and farmworkers. Delays in the ripening of crops mean days without work or income, as farmworkers get paid only for the hours worked or the amount of produce picked. Short seasons and a small crop mean that the earnings needed to get through the next winter don’t materialize. Crops wiped out by rain, hail or drought can mean huge debt. Workers have spent time and money traveling to the area, fed families waiting for the crop to ripen, and borrowed money from friends to get by. 3)Migrant farmworkers are not provided with the benefits that many other workers enjoy. They almost never have paid sick days, vacation days, or health insurance. If working members get sick and can't work, they have no income. As consumers, we benefit from the hard work of our nation's farmworkers each time we eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Some workers may be fortunate and find steady work from employers who pay good wages and provide decent housing. However, many are at the mercy of a system that does not reward their hard labor. They are proud people who work hard to support themselves and their families and through no fault of their own, bear the brunt of our nation's agricultural policies.
Date Published: 2002
This report discusses the issues related to farmers and our nation's agricultural policies. Many of the difficulties facing the migrant workers are inherent in these jobs and the structure of this labor market. The risks embedded in this system are born almost entirely by the workers. These risks include: 1) When migrants are looking for work, most information available comes from word-of-mouth from other workers. People may travel days to arrive at an area where they heard there was work, only to find none. 2) Bad weather affects crops, farmers, and farmworkers. Delays in the ripening of crops mean days without work or income, as farmworkers get paid only for the hours worked or the amount of produce picked. Short seasons and a small crop mean that the earnings needed to get through the next winter don’t materialize. Crops wiped out by rain, hail or drought can mean huge debt. Workers have spent time and money traveling to the area, fed families waiting for the crop to ripen, and borrowed money from friends to get by. 3)Migrant farmworkers are not provided with the benefits that many other workers enjoy. They almost never have paid sick days, vacation days, or health insurance. If working members get sick and can't work, they have no income. As consumers, we benefit from the hard work of our nation's farmworkers each time we eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Some workers may be fortunate and find steady work from employers who pay good wages and provide decent housing. However, many are at the mercy of a system that does not reward their hard labor. They are proud people who work hard to support themselves and their families and through no fault of their own, bear the brunt of our nation's agricultural policies.
