Posted on 06/25/2010 10:13:56 AM PDT by Chi-townChief
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — In a tongue-in-cheek call for immigration reform, farm workers are teaming up with comedian Stephen Colbert in a challenge to unemployed Americans: Come on, take our jobs.
Farm workers are tired of being blamed by politicians and anti-immigrant activists for taking work that should go to Americans and dragging down the economy, said Arturo Rodriguez, the president of the United Farm Workers of America.
So the group is encouraging the unemployed — and any Washington pundits who want to join them — to apply for the some of thousands of agricultural jobs being posted with state agencies as harvest season begins.
All applicants need to do is fill out an online form under the banner "I want to be a farm worker" at www.takeourjobs.org, and experienced field hands will train them and connect them to farms.
Three out of four farm workers in the U.S. were born abroad, and more than half are illegal immigrants, according to the Labor Department.
Proponents of tougher immigration laws have argued that farmers have become used to cheap labor. The problem with the UFW's proposition, they argue, is that growers don't want to raise wages and improve working conditions enough to attract Americans.
In either case, those who have done the job have some words of advice for applicants.
First, dress appropriately. During summer, when the harvest of fruits and vegetables is in full swing in California's Central Valley, temperatures hover in the triple digits. Heat exhaustion is one of the reasons farm labor consistently makes the Bureau of Labor Statistics' top ten list of the nation's most dangerous jobs.
Second, expect long days. Growers have a small window to pick fruit before it is overripe; work starts before dawn and goes on for 12 or more hours.
And don't count on a big paycheck. Farm workers are excluded from federal overtime provisions, and small farms don't even have to pay the minimum wage. Fifteen states don't require farm labor to be covered by workers compensation laws.
Any takers?
"The reality is farmworkers who are here today aren't taking any American jobs away. They work in often unbearable situations," Rodriguez said. "I don't think there will be many takers, but the offer is being made. Let's see what happens."
To highlight just how unlikely the prospect of Americans lining up to pick strawberries or grapes is, Comedy Central's "Colbert Report" plans to feature the "Take Our Jobs" campaign on July 8. Requests to Comedy Central and Colbert for comment on the nature of the collaboration weren't immediately answered.
Another way of tackling the issue is to strengthen immigration enforcement, said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, which supports strict immigration laws.
It's an idea that might not end up on Comedy Central, but reducing the pool of farm workers would force growers to improve working conditions and raise wages.
"They're daring the American people to get by without farm workers," he said. "What I'm saying is, 'Let's take them up on that and call their bluff.'"
The campaign is being played for jokes, but the need to secure the right to work for immigrants who are here is serious business, said Michael Rubio, supervisor in Kern County, one of the biggest ag producing counties in the nation.
"Our county, our economy, rely heavily on the work of immigrant and unauthorized workers," he said. "I would encourage all our national leaders to come visit Kern County and to spend one day, or even half a day, in the shoes of these farm workers."
Hopefully, the message will go down easier with some laughs, said Manuel Cunha, president of the California grower association Nisei Farmers League, who was not a part of the campaign.
"If you don't add some humor to this, it's enough to get you drinking, and I don't mean Pepsi," Cunha said, dismissing the idea that Americans would take up the farm workers' offer.
California's agriculture industry launched a similar campaign in 1998, hoping to recruit welfare recipients and unemployed workers to work on farms, he said. Three people showed up.
"Give us a legal, qualified work force. Right now, farmers don't know from day to day if they're going to get hammered by ICE," he said, referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. "What happens to my labor pool?"
His organization supports AgJobs, a bill currently in the Senate which would allow those who have worked in U.S. agriculture for at least 150 days in the previous two years to get legal status.
The bill has been proposed in various forms since the late 1990s, with backing from the United Farm Workers of America and other farming groups, but has never passed.
Politicians' and advocates' perspectives on the matter might change if they were to take up the farm workers' offer, said Rubio from Bakersfield.
"The view and the temperature is much different from a row in a field than from inside an air conditioned office," he said. "Is it a challenge? Most certainly, yes. Come on down."
If there weren't ILLEGAL immigrants willing to work under these conditions, and skewing the free market for labor, wages would have to rise and Americans WOULD take the jobs.
Imagines if there were ~550 Americans willing to be a Congressman/Senator for no wages/perks and actually read legislation and consider their constituents before voting. And current politicians had to compete with the people for their own jobs... fair??
This is just a way to confuse the issue. Jobs may be an issue in some cases. But the big and important issue is - the difference between legal and illegal immigrants. Legal, OK, illegal, not OK. All other talk is nonsense and a red herring.
For both the farmer and the worker -- pay for production and not by the hour. No reason Jake should get the same as Sam if Sam picks twice as much.
It will also give a true value. Work to fill one basket of strawberries and you'll get an idea how hard it is to do, how long it takes, and what you'll take to work that hard for that long.
Around here the illegal aliens dominate the construction business except for electricians and plumbers and I expect that is just a matter of time.
Don’t live in nor near agricultural areas but we’d happily take “our jobs” from those doing roofing, construction, lawn, housecleaning, and all restaurant, not to mention the cities hiring illegals to do their “green work,” street repair, etc. in the Metro Kansas City area (especially on the KS side of the State Line.)
It isn’t itinerant farm labor jobs that is the problem.
It is the janitorial, meat packing, chicken-flicking, construction, ship yard, fence building, fast food & restaurant, hospital/hospitality ancillary, and other sector jobs that are being taken over by the invading hordes.
These people don’t want Americans to remember the huge lines of unemployed Americn applicants at several sites, in multiple states, after immigration raids under GWB.
Why not make juvenile delinquents and lifer convicts do all the work? Get them out of their cells and do something for the money that supports them.
I didn’t call you a bastard. I do think you’re a narcissistic idiot if you think what I posted refers to you as a bastard.
By the way, I own a small farm with sheep, chicken, several cattle, dogs with vegetable and orchard gardens. And I grew up on a 2,500 acre soybean and corn farm in Indiana. Which is why I said what I said only to have it validated by you some 9 minutes later.
"D. Illegal immigrants are not just underpaid; they are very likely to suffer work-related disabilities which are not covered by insurance. They often do not have a place to live. Since they usually do not get any benefits, their care increasingly has become the responsibility of the state government.
"The strawberry has long been known to migrants as la fruta del diablo - the fruit of the devil. Picking strawberries is some of the lowest-paid, most difficult, and therefore least desirable farmwork in California. Strawberries are fragile and bruise easily. They must be picked with great care, especially the berries that will be sold fresh at the market.
...
"You must bend at the waist to pick the fruit, which explains why the job is so difficult. Bending over that way for an hour can cause a stiff back; doing so for ten to twelve hours a day, weeks at a time, can cause excruciating pain and lifelong disabilities. Most strawberry pickers suffer back pain."
http://www.eriposte.com/civil_rights/non-citizens/ca_strawberry_industry.htm
Therefore, illegal immigant pickers create a false economy; certainly a false price for strawberries. that is probably the reason strawberries used to be grown at home.
They are the equivalent of serf labor, and serf/slave labor distorts a free market.
This is total BS! The number of people unemployed is so full of shit. You can’t call a person who does not want to work “Unemployed”. SOme folks rather sit on their ass and collect ObamaCare rather than work. There is no incentive for these people. Just go out and have more children and sooner or later, you will out number those decent folks who work for what they get. Then, we all die from killing each other, just at they do in CHicago. No repect and no values. WHen the handouts stop, no reason not to go rob, rape or kill for what you want. You voted for him, now live with his shit!
This is total BS! The number of people unemployed is so full of shit. You can’t call a person who does not want to work “Unemployed”. SOme folks rather sit on their ass and collect ObamaCare rather than work. There is no incentive for these people. Just go out and have more children and sooner or later, you will out number those decent folks who work for what they get. Then, we all die from killing each other, just at they do in CHicago. No repect and no values. WHen the handouts stop, no reason not to go rob, rape or kill for what you want. You voted for him, now live with his shit!
This is total BS! The number of people unemployed is so full of shit. You can’t call a person who does not want to work “Unemployed”. SOme folks rather sit on their ass and collect ObamaCare rather than work. There is no incentive for these people. Just go out and have more children and sooner or later, you will out number those decent folks who work for what they get. Then, we all die from killing each other, just at they do in CHicago. No repect and no values. WHen the handouts stop, no reason not to go rob, rape or kill for what you want. You voted for him, now live with his shit!
You think lazy fat McDonalds eating Americans will take this job? Hahaha, and next you will tell me President Obama is not a socialist.
I bet no more then 25 Americans sign up for this. And I bet out of those 25, 20 don’t make it past the first day.
America, and white America in particular, has become a fat lazy country willing to suck off the government teet, and unable to do any hard labor anymore
“Now farmers are offering their jobs only to people who are legally entitled to take them. The employers and applicants negotiate a wage they can both accept and work commences.
100% correct.
It’s a catch 22.... Because the Illegals take the jobs the farmers don’t have to pay even minimum wage and because they won’t pay even minimum wage Americans wont take the job..
I used to sell balloons in 95+ degree heat carrying 50 lbs worth of stuff when I was a teenager (90’s). Sometimes I would make a lot (300 in a day) some times a little (5$ a day)... It averaged out to a bout 10-15$ an hour and had friends lined up to do it should any slots open up.
If these farm workers were paying 10-12$ an hour they would have little trouble finding teens and college students willing to do it.
>>For this very reason. I doubt those on unemployment would take those jobs.<<
We would. In fact, I know tons of tweens and teens that would die to have those jobs.
We were out three hours at the height of the day. (would have been out longer if we didn’t miss the height of ripe) They make it out like it’s a living hell. It’s not. I did it as a kid for spending cash, now my kids do it to stock away food. A straw sun hat, white clothes, a cooler with bottles of water and you CAN go all day. It’s hard when you start (and my 49 year old hips are aching today) but my Tweens made it through just fine.
We were out picking Strawberries yesterday. Today we processed 30 pounds of them.
“America, and white America in particular, has become a fat lazy country...”
Let this hard-working white American be the first to say “up yours”.
Of course-—have a guest worker program.
THere ARE INDEED some jobs Mexican illegals (or even
legals) would flock to well before any American of any age would. THAT , however, is the classic “false choice” that the open borders crowd likes to foist on us, as if it’s THAT the defines the whole issue of Illegal Immigration
and, beyond that, looming amnesty. It DOESN’T. Those of us
against Illegal Immigration might be against it for a whole host of reasons, but I assure you, CRIME, and NOT honest labor, is chief among them. They are demagoguing this issue even in these late stages, just as they’ve done for decades, because it’s worked. They’re hoping it will work again.
Prisons are full of free labor use them time to earn their keep.
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