Yet farmworkers still need to report to the fields because they can’t afford to lose income. And unfortunately, employers and state and federal regulators have a poor track record of protecting farmworkers from these hazards.ĭuring the 2017 Thomas Fire, for example, farmworkers reported a range of smoke-related symptoms such as nausea and nosebleeds. We are seeing this layering of crises unfold in real time, as California battles COVID-19, wildfires of historic proportions, and scorching heat waves. As average temperatures rise and heat waves and wildfires get more frequent and severe, farmworkers will be at an ever-heightened risk of heat- and smoke-related illnesses. Dangerous Work with Inadequate ProtectionsĮven without climate change, agriculture is already one of the most hazardous industries in America. In California, 12 percent of more than 900 farmworkers surveyed earlier this summer were afraid to seek medical care because of distrust of government agencies and the healthcare system. Although the Public Charge Rule has been paused during the pandemic, Latinos without full documentation may still be concerned about the federal government’s push to deny residency or citizenship to immigrants who lawfully use public benefits such as Medicaid. Immigrant workers, always vulnerable, have been marginalized even further in recent years by abusive political rhetoric and policy changes-with dire consequences for their health, safety, and well-being.įor example, researchers at Harvard University and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center suspect that the 2020 Public Charge rule may be partly to blame for disproportionately high COVID-19 rates among foreign-born Latinos. Although estimates vary, more than half of those workers are thought to be undocumented, and lack adequate access to health care. Roughly 90 percent of California crop workers were born outside the United States, mostly in Mexico and Central America. Let’s take a look at some of the ways we got here. This dangerous situation for California farmworkers and their communities is a perfect example of how the climate crisis magnifies and upholds existing vulnerabilities associated with racism, extreme income inequality, and other structural disparities. #WeFeedYou /Zsr5VVIghb- United Farm Workers September 10, 2020 We work out of necessity.” If the air quality index surpasses 150, employers must provide respiratory protection equipment such as N95masks or similar. He shares “There is nothing heroic about what we do. Erick shared this photo arriving to work in King City CA.
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