Work in the Strawberry FieldsWork in the Strawberry Fields

Cliff HandalCliff Handal

Jon RafkindJon Rafkind

Patrick LeightonPatrick Leighton

Strawberry Field in Strawberry Field in CaliforniaCalifornia

Article SynopsisArticle Synopsis

Roughly 5,600 acres of strawberry fields in Roughly 5,600 acres of strawberry fields in CaliforniaCalifornia

Fastest growing and most profitable of all Fastest growing and most profitable of all California produce (second in America)California produce (second in America)

Can yield more revenue per acre than any Can yield more revenue per acre than any crop except marijuanacrop except marijuana

Extremely risky and expensive to growExtremely risky and expensive to grow

Migrant WorkersMigrant Workers

Strawberry farms employ thousands of Strawberry farms employ thousands of migrant workersmigrant workers

Cheap labor is required due to the Cheap labor is required due to the expensive cost of the cropexpensive cost of the crop

Labor comes in the form of illegal Labor comes in the form of illegal immigrants from Mexicoimmigrants from Mexico

Between 30-60% of workers are illegalBetween 30-60% of workers are illegal

Wages for workers adjusted for inflation Wages for workers adjusted for inflation have fallen 53 percent since 1985have fallen 53 percent since 1985

Average migrant worker is 28 years old, Average migrant worker is 28 years old, from Mexico making $5,000 a year for 25 from Mexico making $5,000 a year for 25 weeks of serviceweeks of service

Life expectancy: 49 years oldLife expectancy: 49 years old

Present Day SlavesPresent Day Slaves

Field owners cut costs by paying workers Field owners cut costs by paying workers off the booksoff the books

Pay also is less than minimum wagePay also is less than minimum wage

Continually in violation of California labor Continually in violation of California labor lawslaws

SharecroppingSharecroppingOwnership of fields by workersOwnership of fields by workers

SharecroppingSharecropping

Owners avoid responsibility for their Owners avoid responsibility for their workersworkers

Risk from farmers to the farm workerRisk from farmers to the farm worker

Instead of paying wages, farmer gives the Instead of paying wages, farmer gives the worker a field of there ownworker a field of there own

A 50-50 split on all profits is promisedA 50-50 split on all profits is promised

Sharecropper in turn becomes responsible Sharecropper in turn becomes responsible for hiring workers and maintaining fieldfor hiring workers and maintaining field

La Fruta del DiabloLa Fruta del Diablo

PovertyPoverty– A migrant does not know how long the A migrant does not know how long the

workday will last or what the wage rate will be workday will last or what the wage rate will be until he arrives at the fielduntil he arrives at the field

Tedious workTedious work– Learning how to pack strawberries correctly Learning how to pack strawberries correctly

can take weeks. (gathering, packing, tending can take weeks. (gathering, packing, tending the plants)the plants)

Most migraants quit in their mid-thirtiesMost migraants quit in their mid-thirties

WagesWages

Higher in Watsonville and Salinas than in Higher in Watsonville and Salinas than in southern California b/c of greater distance southern California b/c of greater distance from Mexicofrom Mexico

Top quality berries - $7 or $8 an hour Top quality berries - $7 or $8 an hour

High wages will only last a month and High wages will only last a month and most works can’t attain themmost works can’t attain them

Availability of work is the greatest concern, Availability of work is the greatest concern, not the paynot the pay

Locked into DependenceLocked into Dependence

INS has traditionally rounded up and INS has traditionally rounded up and deported illegal immigrants in California deported illegal immigrants in California immediately after the harvestimmediately after the harvest

The whole system now depends on a The whole system now depends on a steady supply of illegal immigrants to keep steady supply of illegal immigrants to keep farm wages low and to replace migrants farm wages low and to replace migrants who have either retired to Mexico or found who have either retired to Mexico or found better jobsbetter jobs

Social-Conflict TheorySocial-Conflict Theory

Strawberry fields is a Karl Marx’s class Strawberry fields is a Karl Marx’s class struggle and multiculturalismstruggle and multiculturalism

Congress (IRCA) passed laws increasing Congress (IRCA) passed laws increasing the number of immigrants rather than the number of immigrants rather than decreasing themdecreasing them

Social-Conflict TheorySocial-Conflict Theory

Employers rely on others misfortunes to Employers rely on others misfortunes to make a profitmake a profitIf no misfortunes can be found in America If no misfortunes can be found in America they will look elsewhere like Mexico and they will look elsewhere like Mexico and illegal immigrantsillegal immigrantsImmigrants get paid very little and live in Immigrants get paid very little and live in unbearable conditions that many unbearable conditions that many Americans would never even considerAmericans would never even consider

Questions to ConsiderQuestions to Consider

1. If your earnings were solely based on 1. If your earnings were solely based on the amount of money you paid your the amount of money you paid your employees, would you pay your workers employees, would you pay your workers less knowing that you could get away with less knowing that you could get away with it? it?

Questions to ConsiderQuestions to Consider

2. Which would be a better situation? If illegal 2. Which would be a better situation? If illegal immigration were completely stopped and immigration were completely stopped and strawberry growers had to hire American strawberry growers had to hire American workers for decent wages thus increasing the workers for decent wages thus increasing the strawberry prices, or let illegal immigrants go strawberry prices, or let illegal immigrants go unregulated working for the bare minimum to unregulated working for the bare minimum to provide the rest of society with low strawberry provide the rest of society with low strawberry prices? prices?

Questions to ConsiderQuestions to Consider

3. How would you solve the problem of 3. How would you solve the problem of illegal immigrants working low paying, illegal immigrants working low paying, hard working jobs?hard working jobs?

Questions to ConsiderQuestions to Consider

4. Do the strawberry fields in the end 4. Do the strawberry fields in the end contribute to American society more than contribute to American society more than they take from it?they take from it?