Migrant Workers

La Li Lu Le Lo

Veteran
May 29, 2010
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In the past when discussions of illegal workers have come up I have had several people ask me if I would go work on a farm for minimum wage. They stated Americans would not take that kind of job for minimum wage.

I saw this article today regarding migrant labor working on a Tomato farm.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/mi...ally-a-slave/ar-BB1aajXQ?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=iehp

It states "An adept worker will fill a 32-pound bucket every two and a half minutes, earning 65 cents for each one."

That comes out to $15.60 an hour.

"In interviews, five workers employed at Lipman’s tomato operation said they felt fortunate to have been selected for the H-2A program after being interviewed in Mexico by labor brokers representing Lipman. In the United States, they could make in a day what it took a week to earn at home."

"The workers remain in the country for four to 10 months, on average."

Don't believe the lie these migrant workers (and illegals) are working hard labor jobs for minimum wage. That is total B.S.


By American standards they make a pretty good wage by Mexican standards they are making out like banditos.
 
In the past when discussions of illegal workers have come up I have had several people ask me if I would go work on a farm for minimum wage. They stated Americans would not take that kind of job for minimum wage.

I saw this article today regarding migrant labor working on a Tomato farm.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/mi...ally-a-slave/ar-BB1aajXQ?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=iehp

It states "An adept worker will fill a 32-pound bucket every two and a half minutes, earning 65 cents for each one."

That comes out to $15.60 an hour.

"In interviews, five workers employed at Lipman’s tomato operation said they felt fortunate to have been selected for the H-2A program after being interviewed in Mexico by labor brokers representing Lipman. In the United States, they could make in a day what it took a week to earn at home."

"The workers remain in the country for four to 10 months, on average."

Don't believe the lie these migrant workers (and illegals) are working hard labor jobs for minimum wage. That is total B.S.


By American standards they make a pretty good wage by Mexican standards they are making out like banditos.


I can't be bothered with this right now, La'.

I'm getting ready to watch a Movie.

" GRAPES of WRATH " !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
The Okies in Grapes of Wrath were migrant workers of another era.

LaLa would post ignorantly how good they had it, too.
 
In the past when discussions of illegal workers have come up I have had several people ask me if I would go work on a farm for minimum wage. They stated Americans would not take that kind of job for minimum wage.

I saw this article today regarding migrant labor working on a Tomato farm.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/mi...ally-a-slave/ar-BB1aajXQ?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=iehp

It states "An adept worker will fill a 32-pound bucket every two and a half minutes, earning 65 cents for each one."

That comes out to $15.60 an hour.

"In interviews, five workers employed at Lipman’s tomato operation said they felt fortunate to have been selected for the H-2A program after being interviewed in Mexico by labor brokers representing Lipman. In the United States, they could make in a day what it took a week to earn at home."

"The workers remain in the country for four to 10 months, on average."

Don't believe the lie these migrant workers (and illegals) are working hard labor jobs for minimum wage. That is total B.S.


By American standards they make a pretty good wage by Mexican standards they are making out like banditos.


THAT's called piece-work my friend, something UNIONS don't allow !

It's NOT a Standard Hourly Wage !
 
THAT's called piece-work my friend, something UNIONS don't allow !

It's NOT a Standard Hourly Wage !
First off Bears I have no idea what that has to do with the post I made debunking the lie that illegals work for super low wages.

A lot of people get paid based on productivity instead of time.

What about truckers? They get paid per mile. If those wheels are not turning they are not earning. Some truckers sit in their trucks for HOURS waiting to get loaded/unloaded not earning a dime.

Other truckers get paid by the load.

Are you saying that none of these truckers that get paid by the mile or by the load (not a standard hourly wage) are UNIONized?

I find that hard to believe.

It is worth mentioning I fundamentally agree with you. Workers cannot always control the rate of productivity (like waiting hours to unload for example). My time is valuable and as far as I am concerned a business is not paying me for my labor but for my time and availability. They are basically buying a slice of my life for an agreed upon amount per hour. They should not be entitled to a portion of my life span without compensation. That is why I won't work cheap. From my perspective, if you low ball me, then you are communicating to me that my life/time has no value. Again it is my job to be available and their job to make sure I have means to be productive.

There has been a lot of discussion among truck drivers about going to per hour pay instead of per mile or load. They are getting sick of waiting 10 to 12 hours to unload and not getting compensated and I agree with them. Of course the downside is if trucker pay goes up EVERYONE pays more for EVERYTHING. They have basically been taken advantage of to everyone else's benefit.
 
In the past when discussions of illegal workers have come up I have had several people ask me if I would go work on a farm for minimum wage. They stated Americans would not take that kind of job for minimum wage.

I saw this article today regarding migrant labor working on a Tomato farm.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/mi...ally-a-slave/ar-BB1aajXQ?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=iehp

It states "An adept worker will fill a 32-pound bucket every two and a half minutes, earning 65 cents for each one."

That comes out to $15.60 an hour.

You cited the "bright spot" in the article. If they can maintain that pace for 8 hours. And provided the weather allows them to work, although it says it rains for "days at a time" and "the muck ruins shoes and turns moist feet into hamburgers". That sounds like some great working conditions. But aside from that "bright spot", the rest of the article was saying it's basically slavery. They might not get a 40 hour week. They can't leave the farm. They don't have insurance. They are crammed into barracks. They are packed on a bus.

Forget minimum wage....would you give up LIVING for $15.60 for each hour of backbreaking work? And that's not including any break times.
 
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