Agricultural Workers' Conditions - Case Study Example

7th April Agricultural workers conditions Introduction In any country, agriculture work is vitalsince it is through the agricultural produces that a government is able to feed the country. Across the US, more than 2 million farm workers are employed in various fields to undertake duties like handpicking the fruits and vegetable crops among others. Despite their important role in economic improvement and expanding food supply, food workers are faced with various challenges that needs to be urgently addressed by the US and foreign governments. This paper seeks to discuss the various challenges and issues relating to agricultural workers in US and other foreign countries. Current conditions of agricultural workers in the US According to Center for Progressive Reform, there is a worrying decline labor conditions in US. On the legal aspect of the agricultural labor, more than 48% of the workers have no legal authorization to work in US and only 35% were US residents. As the result of their mobile and nationality status, many workers in US are experiencing prejudice in addition to the hostilities from the local communities in the areas they work. In terms of wages and benefits, the farm workers represent the most disadvantaged people in US. According to 2009 NAWS survey result, 23% of the workers families earned an income that was below the national poverty guidelines. In addition to low wages, the farm workers have no access to worker’s compensation as well as disability compensation benefits an aspect that leaves them demotivated. Another area that is poorly managed for the Agricultural workers is housing (Grimm 13). Most of the workers reside in houses that are substandard. According to 2007 study in Coachella Valley, 2% of the workers who were surveyed indicated that they stayed in living conditions that are not meant for human habitation. These included vans converted garages, trucks and parking lots among others. As far as health issues are concerned, agricultural workers have little or no access to health care. This is caused by various barriers such as poverty, cultural barriers, low literacy and language barriers. Still for the small percentage of farm workers who easily access health services, they are still faced by more challenges including poor means of transportation, prejudice, and poor medical referral system among others. Immigrant workers in the US Due to the immigration to the United States, the population growth and change of culture has been noticed. United States remain the most popular immigration destination. American immigration can be dived into four stages which include; the colonial period, the 19th century, 20th century and the post- 1965. About 42,000 English workers migrated to colonial America in the 17th century. According to history, around a million immigrants shifted to US between 1600- 1799. The 1790 act only allowed the naturalization to the white but it was later amended in 1860 where it included the blacks and their after the Asians in 1950s. As per 2004 there were approximately 11 million legal permanent residents immigrants in the United States this is according to Homeland security. Additionally, there were around 10 million unauthorized immigrants as of January 2005. According to Hispanic center (PHC) the number of illegal immigrants in the year 2005 was approximately 11.5 to 12 million people in the United State. In 2006, USA today reported that 4% of the immigrants work as farm workers, 21% work in the service industries, 10% in the management 8% in the transport sector, and 12% in the construction and other related activities. Though illegal immigrants’ wages are lower than the legal and native born Americans, income increment depends on how long you have been in the country (Pat and Amy 17). In 2012 it was estimated that about 14 million people live in United State illegally. Current condition of immigrant agricultural workers in the US Legal status According to the National Agricultural Workers Survey, a research conducted between 2007- 2009 indicated that about 50% of the farm workers in the United States did not have the legal authorization to work there 30% being only the United States citizen (Martin 36). Due to this reason most of them complain of being treated with prejudice and hostility by the community where they work and live. Housing Most of the farm workers house area of sub standard or do not exist at all. According to a research conducted in 2008 at North Carolina, it indicated that around 90% of the labor camps had violated the migration housing act. At the same time it depicted that most of the residents felt that they stayed in crowded places. Another study indicated that about 4% percent of the farm workers were living in conditions not meant for human habitation such as trucks, outdoors, parking lots among other places. As people migrated, this number continued to rise leading to the government agencies to get concerned in improving the living standards of the farm workers. Health Frequent mobility, poverty, language and cultural barriers among others are the factors contributing to farm workers not attending to primary health care and accessing social services. Other limiting factors to farm workers attending the health facilities are prejudice due to their migrant’s status, limited means of transport and medical referral system. Wages and Benefits The most disadvantaged people in the United States are the migrants and the seasonal farm workers. According to the National agricultural survey, about 20% of farm workers families earn an income that is below the National poverty guidelines (Pati 38). Not only being paid low wages but they do not access workers compensation, disability compensation and occupational rehabilitation benefits reason being that workers compensation benefits are state dependent hence agricultural workers being challenged by the requirement and qualification of each individual state (Ford 46). Migrants families will be help by the portable health services programs which are currently been allocated at state level. Economic Contribution In United States, about 28 billion dollar vegetable and fruit industry are supported by the migrant’s farm laborers. Over the last decade, farm workers have increased (Hernandez et al 46). Eliminating their presence to less labor exhaustive crops has a negative blow to the agricultural areas and hence reducing the jobs opportunities to the local inhabitants. Motivations for those immigrant agricultural workers to come to US Despite poor working conditions in the United States migrants still locate there in search for job opportunities with an aim of living a comfortable live and being able to support their families back home. A couple of reasons enhances people to migrate to US, this include economic instability in their origin countries, population increase, political instability and scarce job opportunities. For example Colombian fled to the United States due to the political instability in their country while the Mexican migrated in search for job opportunities to earn income to support their families back home. Due to the low cost wages, sub-standard working conditions, limited or no benefits make US farm workers withdraw from those jobs hence creating opportunities for the immigrants. Wage differences in the US and foreign countries The agricultural workers condition in the US considers both men and women. The minimum wage of an individual refers to the gross amount that one earns. For example, the minimum wages before deductions for taxes and other social security contributions. Tax deductions and social security contribution varies from one country to the other, and this is the reason the minimum wage on agricultural workers varies. The minimum wages excludes calculations like the paid days off, public holidays, sick pay and lastly the annual leave. United States has a minimum wage of US$7.25, and it is set on hours (Beverly and Tory 67). In some states or territories, the rate is exempted, and thus it is possible for it to be below that the federal minimum wage set. Comparing with other countries the minimum wage of the agricultural workers in Turkey is €424 per month. In United Kingdom, it is €6.50 per hour for the agricultural workers aged 21 and above, for workers who are aged 18-20 the minimum wage is €5.13 per hour (Kosters, 41). The under 18 years agricultural workers are granted a minimum wage of €3.79 and for those who are aged 16 to 18 are approximated a wage value of €2.73 in United Kingdom (Peter, 56). Comparing with another country like Afghanistan for the agricultural workers per month approximated minimum wage is 5,000 Afghani. The labor law in Afghanistan is strict and does not allow private workers to be paid less that the permanently government workers. Different countries vary in how they pay their agricultural workers and the other workers. For example, for blue collar job in United States like EKG technician per how one gets a minimum wage of $22.25. For elevator and installers, they are entitled an average wage per hourly of $48.08 among others. Wage differences in immigrants and local workers There is a wage difference between the immigrants and local agricultural workers in United States. In US immigrants keep on increasing and many of them are seasonal farm workers. Due to the need for US to maintain high agricultural produce to its residents, the country gives the immigrants agricultural work such as farming, livestock rearing, and operating machinery. Physical labor is also provided; agricultural workers are supervised by the agricultural managers and other known farmers and ranchers who have shown competence in agricultural produce (Philpott 17). The agricultural workers most of them are foreign born, for example, 68% of the farm workers are residents from Mexico but migrated to United States. 45% farm workers immigrants are from West Central Mexico while 20% are from Southern Mexico (Hart, 28). 3% of the farm workers are from Central America, and 1% is from other parts. The immigrant’s agricultural workers, who have lived for almost 20 years in United States, are approximated to be 29%. The immigrants who are approximated to be 26% have lived in United States for duration of 10 to 19 years. Others have lived in United States for 5 to 9 years, and the immigrants are approximated to be 19%. The agricultural workers who have lived in United States for only 4 years are approximated to be 26% (James, 36). The agricultural workers immigrants ages 36 and they are about 76%, workers over 25 years are approximated to be 13%, while, and 18 to 21 years agricultural workers are 9% (Cochrane, 61). Energetic men and women who work as agricultural workers who are 22 to 24 years are approximated to be having 3% and for the same percent range for those workers aged 14 to 17. For immigrants agricultural workers who are paid well and have joined labor movements they are paid approximately $8 while others are paid $7.25, this makes the annual minimum wage be approximated to be $18,910 annually. For the local agricultural workers, there is a wage difference since the local’s minimum wage is $9 which approximated to be $19,010 annually. Easiness of agricultural working, with the technology During the period of colonial settlers to the colonial American agriculture, 90% of the population depended on agriculture. It implied that exports and imports had to be part and parcel of United States. Due to the rapid increase in the population and the high number of immigrants moving in United States there was the need to expand and improve the agriculturally produced products. For example in 18century cotton was a major export crop in the Southern plantations. Due to industrialization and urbanization new domestic market were opened. Farmers increased their interest to engage in the production of agricultural produce and livestock rearing. For example in 1850 the number of farmers were 1 .40 million while in 1910 it was about 5.6million, in 1950 to 2008 the farmers were about 2.2million showing that the rate was going downwards (Bush, 25). Due to many agricultural workers who were migrating from their countries either to seek refuge or to be employed as domestic workers there was the easiness of agricultural working. The number of the local individuals who did not have privilege to be employed in blue collar jobs and they were young joined the agricultural workers to venture in agriculture production and livestock rearing. The labor movements that considered the right of workers give agricultural workers a boost by making sure that the payment were increased and providing favorable working conditions to the workers. Slavery was eliminated, and child labor on the plantations was reduced. The use of technology played a significant role in ensuring that the use of the manual method to produce products on the farms was replaced by machines. For example, cultivation that was used to be done manually was replaced by the use of machines like mowers and tractors that could cultivate million of acres. Grade livestock that were reared for a short duration and provided a lot of profit to the farmers were also introduced. Chemicals that helped the products infected by diseases were added making agriculture more cumbersome and beneficial to the farmers (John, 32). For example, due to technology US started growing wheat of high quality, high-quality cotton and rearing of grade cattle. In Pakistan, high-quality rice was grown and wheat that lead to competition. On the other hand animal breeding and plant breeding was also done in Canada. Production of herbicides and fertilizers that boosted agricultural produce made it possible for farmers to yield a lot of profits. Works cited Bush, G. Proposed Rescission of Budget Authority: Message from the President of the United States Transmitting One Proposed Rescission of Budget Authority, Pursuant to 2 U.S.C. 683(a)(1). [Rescission Proposal No. R92-53]. ed. Washington: U.S. G.P.O., 1992. Print. Cochrane, W. 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