Farmworkers, advocates seek better conditions

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Catholic participants 'appalled' by farm conditions

Farmworkers in our Diocese

A record number of farmworkers descended on the Capitol in Albany May 6, calling for urgent changes in legislation to improve the living and working conditions of New York State's 47,000 farmworkers.

Approximately 100 farmworkers, who risked losing their jobs by coming to Albany, joined 500 advocates, concerned citizens and members of various religious congregations in asking the State Legislature to pass laws permitting a day of rest, bathroom facilities, the right to collective bargaining and improvements in Labor Law that would allow farmworkers to benefit from increases in the minimum wage.

"The legislators were really listening," said Cathy Moran, public health manager for the Rochester-based Rural Opportunities, Inc. "They thought it was possible to support the minimum wage increase and said field sanitation sounded do-able. We're very encouraged."

Seeing hope

Terry Henry, resource development coordinator for Poughkeepsie's Rural and Migrant Ministry, agreed.

"We're beginning to see a difference with legislators," he said. "They're beginning to know us and be knowledgeable on the issues. We're seeing changes in support."

That is a big change from the reception the advocates received at the first Farmworkers Advocacy Day, held four years ago. According to Barbara DiTommaso, director of the Commission on Peace and Justice for the Albany Diocese, "At the first one, a legislative aide said, `The senator doesn't care about farmworkers; they don't vote.'"

Educating the public

Besides working for legislative changes, organizers hoped the event would serve to educate the public to the plight of the state's farmworkers, who are governed by separate labor laws. As an example of what happens as a result, Ms. Moran shared the story of Marino, a farmworker in western New York who came to Albany for the event.

"Marino cuts cabbage and cut his fingers. He almost lost his finger and missed six weeks of work," she said. "He had no health insurance or disability. If it weren't for family and friends bringing him rice, he didn't know how he would have gotten by. He was told by the owner not to sign papers for workman's compensation. He was afraid he would lose his job."

Marino also spoke of the humiliation female farmworkers face as they are forced to use the fields they work in as toilets. "You wouldn't want a dog to live that way," he said.

Separate laws

While current laws require other industries to provide a mandatory day of rest for employees, farmworkers are not entitled to one, despite their grueling work, exposure to pesticides and the heat they labor in.

Other industries must provide toilets, even if they have only one employee. But the state's farm owners are required to provide sanitary facilities only if they employ 11 workers or more. Even with 11 workers, bathrooms are not always provided, said Mr. Henry.

"We can have the rule, but it doesn't mean it is enforced," he said. "Some farmers would argue that bathrooms are too expensive."

Minimum wage

Farmworkers are also the only workers in the state excluded from increases in minimum wage. Current labor law sets a separate minimum wage standard, which does not automatically increase when the minimum wage increases for other workers, explained Mr. Henry.

Miss DiTommaso reported that one sign carried during the silent procession to the Capitol read "Minimum Wage is for All." She said it was interesting that while other workers are concerned with finding jobs that pay more than the minimum wage, farmworkers want their pay to come up to the minimum wage.

To augment the salary problems of farmworkers, they are the only workers in the state excluded by law from the right to collective bargaining, protestors said.

Mixed bag

"There are a number of good farmers who treat workers well," Mr. Henry said, but there is also another type of farmer. "There is the mentality of growers who think of farmworkers as their property."

In fact, as Mr. Henry has traveled through the southern part of the state working with farmworkers, he has been greeted by farmers holding guns who don't want anyone to see their farmworkers.

Miss DiTommaso pointed out that generalizations can't be made about growers. "We're not talking about all growers," she said. "One grower in his work agreement [with the farmworkers] stated he would treat his workers in a Christian way. I'd like to put out a call for growers who do the right thing; we want to know who they are and support them. We realize it's a business that involves a lot of risk. We want agriculture to succeed in this state. We're not anti-grower."

Isolation

Miss DiTommaso noted that some farmworkers feel excluded and isolated from the communities in which they live because of language barriers and because people don't want them around.

Mr. Henry agreed and told the story of one community that was going to build better housing for their farmworkers. The plan was shot down after a public outcry against the project.

According to Mr. Henry, the people of the town were afraid the housing would lure farmworkers to the community. They didn't realize that farmworkers were already living there.

Earnings

Farmworkers currently earn between $4,000 and $8,000 a year; many suffer from hunger; most live in over-crowded conditions. Miss DiTommaso spoke of trailers housing six workers; Ms. Moran reports seeing babies sleeping on the floors of the camps and bug-infested mattresses provided for the workers.

"We need to be conscious that much of our food is harvested by farmworkers," said Mr. Henry. "All of our lives are touched by farmworkers."

To improve the lives of the farmworkers, Miss DiTommaso encouraged people to write to their legislators, stating their support for improved conditions. Mr. Henry agreed, saying: "Legislators feel a letter represents 20 people. Write your legislators."

(To get more information on farmworkers, contact Barbara DiTommaso at 453-6695. To receive the Rural and Migrant Ministry newsletter, call 914-485-8627.)

Catholic participants 'appalled' by farm conditions

Local Catholics who attended Farmworkers Advocacy Day in Albany recently were shocked by the conditions farmworkers work and live in.

"I am appalled," said Sandra Dietlein, youth minister at St. Clare's Church in Colonie, "that we could do this in this day and age. I had to stand up and do something."

Mrs. Dietlein is referring to the lack of sanitary facilities for farmworkers, and their exclusion from rights other workers have secured, such as a day of rest, minimum wage increases, and the ability to bargain collectively.

Personal experience

As a college student in Michigan, Mrs. Dietlein began working with migrant farmworkers through her parish. Since she spoke Spanish, she eventually became close friends with some farmworkers.

As farmworkers gained better conditions in other states, Mrs. Dietlein assumed farmworkers in New York also benefitted from changes in legislation.

When she received a mailing about the Farmworker Advocacy Day and saw that poor conditions still existed, she decided to get involved. She was one of three St. Clare's parishioners to attend the event. A youth prayer group at the parish supported the event with their prayers.

"We take so much for granted in suburbia," she said. "I can't believe we're treating people like this."

'Appalling'

Sister Catherine Kruegler, CSJ, minister of student and family faith formation at St. Patrick's Church in Albany, was also disturbed by the conditions of the farmworkers.

"It really appalls me that they're living in these conditions," she said.

The poor conditions are something Sister Catherine is familiar with. She worked for five years in a Texas parish that was made up primarily of migrant workers. "I'm surprised that in New York State these conditions exist," she said. "I don't work with migrants here so I didn't know about the conditions."

She said that while farmers say the cost of portable toilets would be prohibitive, the cost for providing the facilities for 10 farmworkers is 46 cents per worker per day.

Follow-up

Sister Catherine is hoping the day in Albany will help improve the conditions.

"It needs follow up," she said. "We need to write letters to the legislators and tell them we'll be watching."

Sister Catherine is also concerned about the living conditions of the farmworkers. The facilities are often over-crowded and not adequately heated. Since worker housing is often placed at the back of the farm property, it goes unnoticed by the public. "It's invisible," she said of the housing.

She said she hoped that the advocacy day will begin to lay the groundwork for more people getting involved. "It's important for others to get involved," she said. "The health of everyone is affected." (MM)

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Many Catholics, notes Barbara DiTommaso of the Albany diocesan Commission on Peace and Justice, don't realize that farmworkers live in the Albany Diocese.

"People think of California or Texas" when they hear about migrant farmworkers, she said. "That's understandable if you don't see the people."

In fact, local Catholics made a difference during the recent advocacy day by supplying signs used in the silent procession and visiting with legislators. Members of Christ the King parish in Westmere provided the 600 lunches needed for the day.

Farmworkers are now returning to the Diocese to put in this season's crops. She encouraged Catholics to find out if there are any farmworkers living in their area and what their needs are. Since farmworkers don't have transportation, she suggested parishes could arrange to take them to Mass as something simple to do to make a difference. (MM)

(05-15-97) [[In-content Ad]]