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Roadblocks Signal Crackdown on Labor Issues
LA Times ^ | 9/1/2004 | Sam Quinones

Posted on 09/01/2004 8:41:55 AM PDT by LNewman

State inspectors return to California's fields after years of lax enforcement of laws.

KERMAN, Calif. — A lot of what California farming is about today was contained within a gold 1989 Ford Aerostar that arrived at a surprise roadblock by state labor authorities as the sun was coming up Tuesday.

The van had no seat belts and was not insured. The driver had neither a driver's license nor the permit required to transport farmworkers.

  Inside the van were seven passengers, among them three girls who looked under 18 years old. For several weeks, they had been working in the vineyards outside this small town near Fresno, where they said they made about $40 a day — well below the state minimum wage of $6.75 an hour.

The workers were Mixtec Indians, illegal immigrants who had recently arrived from the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. They spoke no English and very little Spanish, primarily just Low Mixtec. So they were bewildered when they were stopped at the roadblock, and likely couldn't read the fliers on farm-worker rights and safety that officers pressed into their hands, along with Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: aliens; farmlabor; illegals; immigrant; immigrantlist; mexico

1 posted on 09/01/2004 8:41:55 AM PDT by LNewman
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To: LNewman
Krispy Kreme doughnuts

How nice.

2 posted on 09/01/2004 8:44:04 AM PDT by socal_parrot (Just win baby!)
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To: LNewman
Why bother enforcing any laws???
 
Owl_Eagle

" WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
DIVERSITY IS STRENGTH"

3 posted on 09/01/2004 8:53:00 AM PDT by End Times Sentinel ("Fire can be our servant, whether it's toasting S'mores or raining down on Charlie" –Principal Skinn)
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To: 1_Inch_Group; 2sheep; 2Trievers; 3AngelaD; 4.1O dana super trac pak; 4Freedom; 4ourprogeny; ...

ping


4 posted on 09/01/2004 8:54:19 AM PDT by gubamyster
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To: LNewman
Inside the van were seven passengers, among them three girls who looked under 18 years old. For several weeks, they had been working in the vineyards outside this small town near Fresno, where they said they made about $40 a day ? well below the state minimum wage of $6.75 an hour.

Contemptable. I hope they BUST the h*ll out of their employer.

5 posted on 09/01/2004 9:15:29 AM PDT by skeeter
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To: skeeter

Let's not get carried away with enforcing the law! Your proposal would not set too good with the administration or the next or the next.


6 posted on 09/01/2004 9:18:47 AM PDT by B4Ranch (You can evade reality, but you cannot evade the consequences of evading reality - Ayn Rand)
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To: B4Ranch

"Let's not get carried away with enforcing the law!"

They shouldn't transport them to the border and deport them, they ought to make them get there on foot in handcuffs and then deport them!


7 posted on 09/01/2004 6:07:53 PM PDT by dalereed
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To: dalereed

I'll go along with that idea IF you have clean up some of the trash they left in the desert washes and take it back to Mexico.


8 posted on 09/01/2004 7:10:59 PM PDT by B4Ranch (You can evade reality, but you cannot evade the consequences of evading reality - Ayn Rand)
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To: LNewman

Once they give birth, their working days will be over. It's a good system for their employers who benefit greatly financially -- they aren't required to pay income taxes, social security taxes, or workman's comp, or provide health insurance --- they can dump all that onto the taxpayers. The government allows certain businesmen to break every one of it's labor and wage laws --as long as they hire illegals but will go after the ones who hire Americans.


9 posted on 09/01/2004 7:49:54 PM PDT by FITZ
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To: FITZ
Once they give birth, their working days will be over.

My neighborhood is LOUSY with them.

Heard part of a radio interview with a "needy" orchard owner (definitely not in my suburban "hood") whining about how she HAD to hire 10 "migrant" farm workers to work 15 acres of land for a day. Odd then that when the "mow, blow, and go" guys show up at my apartment complex (maybe a 1/2 acre) there's sometimes 8 of them. Can't believe a one of them ever picked a crop in their lives ... and have zero plans to do so. They all own nice transportation too!

Folks in other areas of the city think they're isolated from this as long as they dump all manner of "social services" and gimmes in my once-nice neighborhood and call anyone, homeowners and renters alike, racists. Now it's spread to the point that one indignant Catholic parishoner across town wrote a newspaper editorial a few months back asking, "Why don't they build a church in their OWN neighborhood!" Well dear, frankly, it isn't THEIR neighborhood! It's not even "their" country!

You know what's funny? We were watching a TV documentary, travelogue, whatever, awhile back and they had filmed a large public square in Mexico City. The only thing that came to mind while watching it was, "WHERE are all the baby carriages?" I didn't see one!

And today the paper reports that a baby boy was found in a San Juan Capistrano dumpster by a 71 year old woman (a mother of 18 children ... from Mexico City) who happened to be "staying" with her daughter there. No one speaks English ... all were "tearful" and the daughter expressed her desire to adopt the infant (so you don't necessarily need to "give birth"). The paper reported that "It's a senseless act because any unwanted baby can be dropped off at a hospital emergency room," ... referring to a state law that allows mothers or others (???) to leave newborns at various places for up to 72 hours after birth.

10 posted on 09/01/2004 9:25:06 PM PDT by LNewman
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To: All
I've never used the "All" feature here. However, I've reposted this in the hopes that I'm doing so in a correct manner (first time wouldda been nice but ...). I thought it was important enough to take the chance. If I've abused it, please enlighten me.

Once they give birth, their working days will be over.</>

My neighborhood is LOUSY with them.

Heard part of a radio interview with a "needy" orchard owner (definitely not in my suburban "hood") whining about how she HAD to hire 10 "migrant" farm workers to work 15 acres of land for a day. Odd then that when the "mow, blow, and go" guys show up at my apartment complex (maybe a 1/2 acre) there's sometimes 8 of them. Can't believe a one of them ever picked a crop in their lives ... and have zero plans to do so. They all own nice transportation too!

Folks in other areas of the city think they're isolated from this as long as they dump all manner of "social services" and gimmes in my once-nice neighborhood and call anyone, homeowners and renters alike, racists. Now it's spread to the point that one indignant Catholic parishoner across town wrote a newspaper editorial a few months back asking, "Why don't they build a church in their OWN neighborhood!" Well dear, frankly, it isn't THEIR neighborhood! It's not even "their" country!

You know what's funny? We were watching a TV documentary, travelogue, whatever, awhile back and they had filmed a large public square in Mexico City. The only thing that came to mind while watching it was, "WHERE are all the baby carriages?" I didn't see one!

And today the paper reports that a baby boy was found in a San Juan Capistrano dumpster by a 71 year old woman (a mother of 18 children ... from Mexico City) who happened to be "staying" with her daughter there. No one speaks English ... all were "tearful" and the daughter expressed her desire to adopt the infant (so you don't necessarily need to "give birth"). The paper reported that "It's a senseless act because any unwanted baby can be dropped off at a hospital emergency room," ... referring to a state law that allows mothers or others (???) to leave newborns at various places for up to 72 hours after birth.

11 posted on 09/01/2004 9:39:50 PM PDT by LNewman
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To: LNewman
Can't believe a one of them ever picked a crop in their lives

Many never did --- many illegals are now coming in from the cities and slums, they never did pick fruit or vegetables before.

12 posted on 09/02/2004 5:25:38 PM PDT by FITZ
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