Mexican Immigrant Workers in the U.S.

1. Mexican Immigrant Workers in the U.S. Background and Context of Migration National COSH Conference, November, 2005

2. The Context of Migration • Why are people migrating in great numbers? • What is the context from which they come? (Previous work experience, education, etc.) • What are their goals and plans—do they see migration as temporary or permanent?

9. NAFTA and its effects on migration • Corn is the traditional staple crop for millions of small farmers in Mexico. • NAFTA opened markets for U.S. corn, sending prices so low that there was no longer a market for Mexican small farmers’ corn. • So, many small farmers have left rural areas to work in the US.

11. U.S. Farm Subsidies • Depress corn prices by encouraging farmers to produce as much as possible. • Currently a huge worldwide glut in corn supply • Projected subsidies of $22.7 billion for 2005

12. Wages in Mexico • Minimum wage: approximately 56 cents ($US) per hour. • Due to inflation, minimum wage has LOST 79% in buying power from 1982 to 2002. Now it is only enough to buy 19% of the basic food basket for a family. • Typical construction worker makes about $1 (US) per hour.

16. Attitudes Towards Migration • Most Mexicans say that they would rather stay in Mexico to live and work but that they don’t see any alternative. • Either there are no jobs at all or the jobs don’t pay enough to live on.

17. Attitudes towards migration • “I, for my part, I’d like to give it up right now, stay here forever, if there was work here. None of us goes there because we want to, I don’t think any of us wants to go there. But we have the difficulty that there is no work here. “ • “Because when we leave here, we never know if we’re going to come back or not. We don’t know if the river is going to carry us away…” • “Until there’s work here, we have to go there.”

18. Migrant Workers Rights Training Project • Under the auspices of the Community Foundation of the Bajio (central Mexican region) • Coordinate with local municipalities’ offices of “Attention to the Migrant” • Present three hour workshops in local communities for migrants and their families

19. Workshop Content • Workers’ rights under U.S. employment laws • Limitations on undocumented workers’ rights • How to find a decent job in the formal sector • Sources of help—community and government agencies

20. Si se lastima en el Trabajo Division of Workers Compensation Post Office Box 420603 San Francisco, California 94142 dwc@dir.ca.gov(415) 703-4600 Si quiere reportar una condición peligrosa en su trabajo CAL-OSHA Los Angeles (213) 576-7451 …

21. Ayuda Con Problemas Laborales Southern California COSH 675 S. Park View St. Los Angeles, CA 90057 (310) 206-0860 Ayuda General para Migrantes En Todo el Estado Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights 965 Mission Street Suite 514 San Francisco, CA 94103415-227-0388

27. The Downside of Migration from the Perspective of those left behind • “Some of them go away and forget about their families” • “Sometimes they can’t find work and there’s no money to send home” • “They get into drugs” • “They’re hunted by la migra” • “Many die in the desert or in the river”

28. …the Downside • “They aren’t around to see their children grow” • “They get the worst, most dangerous jobs” • “They’re treated like criminals” • “They’re humiliated” • “They’re sent back to Mexico”

29. Perceptions of the Migration Experience • “Immigrant” or “Migrante”: Most Mexicans working in the US retain strong ties to their communities, plan to return. Less investment in long-term future in U.S.—goal is to make as much $ as possible in short time: will they put this at risk by filing a complaint on safety hazards?

30. Remittances: The mainstay of Mexican rural communities • Remittances: Money sent back home to Mexico by migrants working in the US. • One Example: In rural areas of the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, 65% of money spent comes from remittances from migrants in U.S.

35. Why Immigrant workers are more vulnerable • Language Barriers: Few recent immigrants speak much English • Lack of knowledge of rights: very few recent immigrants have even heard of OSHA • FEAR of immigration authorities and perception that employers and/or government rep’s will turn them in

36. Vulnerability: Youth • Many boys leaving Mexico for U.S. to work at 13 years and up. • 53,000 youth <18 yrs have left state of Guanajuato alone to work in U.S. in last five years • Young workers are particularly at risk for injury or death on the job.

37. Vulnerability • Great economic needs: families at home have no other income source, rely on remittances from workers in U.S. • Job Shifting: many immigrant workers doing dangerous jobs in U.S. that they’ve never done at home.

38. Young Workers • Young immigrant workers are doubly vulnerable: they don’t have enough experience to recognize risks and are often afraid to question unsafe conditions. • Usually can’t get jobs with reputable employers, so many are hired by unscrupulous contractors.

39. A Mexican construction worker talks about young guys on the job: • I saw a lot of accidents. Like in Austin, I was working on a building, construction. There was a young guy…they told him to climb up and there was a railing but it was rotten and he fell down. He fell down from the roof and he broke his hand. How come that happens? Because they are young guys, they go for the first time (to the US) and when the contractor tells them “Go on up there,” they go up. Because they need the work and want to please the boss.

40. Another comment: • “And because they’re young guys, they aren’t afraid of anything. It’s not that we are afraid, we’re just more cautious. They’re not afraid, cause they’ve never seen anything.”

41. The Challenge for Young People • They may be able to make decent money in the US even with little education and at the lowest end of the job spectrum… • In Mexico, few good job opportunities even for those who do continue in school.

42. …Vulnerability • ECONOMIC REALITY OF IMMIGRANTS: For many immigrant workers, job stability is more important than safety or fairness—willing to accept unfair or unsafe conditions.

43. Unfamiliar Jobs and Worksite Conditions • Nearly 2 million foreign-born construction workers in U.S. ; over 1 million of Mexican origin. • What do they call the jobs they do: “ Roofero” “Frameador” “Sheetrockero” “Las Yardas”