Farmworkers, Wages, and Immigration Reform: Farmworker Justice President on Action 4 News (Texas)

Farmworkers play an integral role in our agricultural sector.

They not only provide labor, but their work also puts the majority of the food we eat on our kitchen tables.

Action 4 News learned many farmworkers are still struggling to be paid the required federal minimum wage.

We spoke with an legal advocate for farmworkers nationwide.

He said not much has changed over the last couple decades for farmworkers, and many still endure unsafe working and living conditions.

"Farmworkers do some of the most important work in this country. They feed us and yet, they are excluded from many labor laws and labor protections," said Farmworker Justice President and attorney Bruce Goldstein.

The Washington D.C. based advocacy group, Farmworker Justice, said many farmworkers are afraid to stand up for their rights because more than half are undocumented immigrants.
"It’s not good for anyone- low wages, poor working conditions. It can mean fear of going to the police when there is crime," explained Goldstein.

Francisco Alvarez has worked as a farmworker for over 20 years. A few years back, he went to South Carolina to work on a tobacco farm. He was not only forced to live in substandard conditions, but he was also paid less than minimum wage.

"[The boss] already had 15 people without eating and living in a warehouse with only bread and water. I asked , ‘You're not going to have us living like them in a shed with the cows?’" Alvarez recalled.

Alvarez tried proving he had documentation, but he says the owner didn't care.

"When he looked at my green card and my brother's, he said, ‘That's no good. Throw it away, throw it away in the trash,’" said Alvarez.

He walked off the job after three days.

Goldstein said farmworkers are not covered by the National Labor Relations Act, which is why they are not entitled to overtime pay nor have the same occupational safety protections.

"Basically, these exclusions are because agribusiness has more political power than farmworkers do," said Goldstein.

It’s something he hopes will change.

Farmworker Justice is pushing for immigration reform to allow farmworkers the opportunity to obtain citizenship.

Alvarez said while a reform would open doors for farmworkers to do other jobs, more needs to be done to change current working conditions because whether you are an American citizen, an immigrant with a work visa, or are undocumented, many times you are treated equally poor.

"If we got immigration reform, we still have employers like farm owners who abuse people because we already have our green cards, but where are we going to work if there are employers who tell us it’s worthless?" asked Alvarez.

Video URL http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=1027141
 

Farmworkers play an integral role in our agricultural sector.

They not only provide labor, but their work also puts the majority of the food we eat on our kitchen tables.

Action 4 News learned many farmworkers are still struggling to be paid the required federal minimum wage.

We spoke with an legal advocate for farmworkers nationwide.

He said not much has changed over the last couple decades for farmworkers, and many still endure unsafe working and living conditions.

"Farmworkers do some of the most important work in this country. They feed us and yet, they are excluded from many labor laws and labor protections," said Farmworker Justice President and attorney Bruce Goldstein.

The Washington D.C. based advocacy group, Farmworker Justice, said many farmworkers are afraid to stand up for their rights because more than half are undocumented immigrants.
"It’s not good for anyone- low wages, poor working conditions. It can mean fear of going to the police when there is crime," explained Goldstein.

Francisco Alvarez has worked as a farmworker for over 20 years. A few years back, he went to South Carolina to work on a tobacco farm. He was not only forced to live in substandard conditions, but he was also paid less than minimum wage.

"[The boss] already had 15 people without eating and living in a warehouse with only bread and water. I asked , ‘You're not going to have us living like them in a shed with the cows?’" Alvarez recalled.

Alvarez tried proving he had documentation, but he says the owner didn't care.

"When he looked at my green card and my brother's, he said, ‘That's no good. Throw it away, throw it away in the trash,’" said Alvarez.

He walked off the job after three days.

Goldstein said farmworkers are not covered by the National Labor Relations Act, which is why they are not entitled to overtime pay nor have the same occupational safety protections.

"Basically, these exclusions are because agribusiness has more political power than farmworkers do," said Goldstein.

It’s something he hopes will change.

Farmworker Justice is pushing for immigration reform to allow farmworkers the opportunity to obtain citizenship.

Alvarez said while a reform would open doors for farmworkers to do other jobs, more needs to be done to change current working conditions because whether you are an American citizen, an immigrant with a work visa, or are undocumented, many times you are treated equally poor.

"If we got immigration reform, we still have employers like farm owners who abuse people because we already have our green cards, but where are we going to work if there are employers who tell us it’s worthless?" asked Alvarez.

Video URL http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=1027141