#farmworkers

#farmworkers

H-2A workers are very vulnerable to pressure from their employers. They can only work for the growers who recruit them, who can legally impose production quotas and fire workers for not meeting them. Recruiters are legally allowed to refuse to hire women, and almost all H-2A workers are young men. They can be fired for protesting, organizing, or simply working too slowly. They then lose their visas and usually find themselves on a blacklist, unable to return to work in subsequent seasons.

"We learned from that. When you start taking people to the hospital, it's not fun." - Jose Chavez reflects on the serious repercussions of heat illness among workers.

"It's been a very emotional day. It's been great, it was wonderful to see them come on site," said Matthew Estes, senior project manager for Capital Program Management.