Thread: Yuma, AZ. Farming Groups Push for Special Worker Visa

Yuma Farming Groups Push for Special Worker Visa
Updated: Monday, 11 Oct 2010, 2:00 PM MDT
Published : Monday, 11 Oct 2010, 2:00 PM MDT

YUMA, Ariz. - Farming groups in Yuma have enlisted Rep. Raul Grijalva to push for a special guest worker program they are proposing for the winter vegetable season.

The pilot program would exempt local employers from a requirement to provide housing for Mexicans who hold special visas issued when farmers can't find enough workers in the U.S.

That is something local agriculture employers have been seeking for years, said Sonny Rodriguez, president of The Growers Company, a farm labor contractor.

If approved, it would make it easier and less expensive for agriculture employers in the area to hire workers who live in Mexico and cross the border each morning to work in the vegetable fields and coolers. Many prefer to go home each night, and farm contractors often bus them from the border to the fields and back again each day.

Grijalva said he hopes to persuade the Department of Labor to approve the program as an administrative act. That's because any congressional action is considered impossible because of the impasse on immigration.

Grijalva is trying to set up meetings with Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis to urge her to put the trial program in place for the rapidly approaching produce season.

"Hopefully the delegation of folk from the rural community will go to D.C. and talk to her about the possibility of a commuter program for those workers that live in San Luis, Mexico, but come every day to work over here during the season," Grijalva said last week while in Yuma. "The Western Growers Association really brought this idea and we're trying to follow up with it. I think it's fair."

Rodriguez commended the congressman for his efforts.

"He's been our champion on this," Rodriguez said of Grijalva. "It's still a concept. We're still waiting to see if Secretary Solis will consider it, but Grijalva has been working hard to get an appointment."

At least several thousand seasonal workers already enter the U.S. each day during harvest season at the San Luis Port of Entry.

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/im ... s-10112010

THE ANSWER IS ....NO. NO VISAS. Hire American workers. There are many American workers already working on the fields. If they pay them more, then more will show up.

They can already bring them in on visas. There are some who have visas that are working on farms inn Immokalee. I prefer that Americans get those jobs.

you pay the American the right pay they will work not for it
I have seen lot of Illigal Immigrant working on the farm in south Carolina & no one was buying any thing from the farmer at all they are all over we want job Obama

"The pilot program would exempt local employers from a requirement to provide housing for Mexicans who hold special visas issued when farmers can't find enough workers in the U.S."
Sure, no housing, no place to CRAP or PEE EITHER! Hello food born illness and ANOTHER MYSTERY ILLNESS FROM OUR FRUITS AND VEGGIES! They think we are that damn stupid?
Damn, I can't get down there to work those Fields. I'm working 20 hours north,
I would if I could, I have a day off and would love the cash.
Where the hell are other under employed, unemployed Americans. We should be telling these farms to stick it up their/SORRY. THESE ARE THE BS STORIES THAT REALLY BURN MY BEHIND
C-MON AMERICA GET OFF YOUR..................'S

Originally Posted by airdale

"The pilot program would exempt local employers from a requirement to provide housing for Mexicans who hold special visas issued when farmers can't find enough workers in the U.S."
Sure, no housing, no place to CRAP or PEE EITHER! Hello food born illness and ANOTHER MYSTERY ILLNESS FROM OUR FRUITS AND VEGGIES! They think we are that damn stupid?
Damn, I can't get down there to work those Fields. I'm working 20 hours north,
I would if I could, I have a day off and would love the cash.
Where the hell are other under employed, unemployed Americans. We should be telling these farms to stick it up their/SORRY. THESE ARE THE BS STORIES THAT REALLY BURN MY BEHIND
C-MON AMERICA GET OFF YOUR..................'S

Americans will do the work if they are paid. It is not about getting off the rear end...it is about making enough to feed the family. Pay them and they will show up. It is as simple as that.

Originally Posted by redpony353

Originally Posted by airdale

"The pilot program would exempt local employers from a requirement to provide housing for Mexicans who hold special visas issued when farmers can't find enough workers in the U.S."
Sure, no housing, no place to CRAP or PEE EITHER! Hello food born illness and ANOTHER MYSTERY ILLNESS FROM OUR FRUITS AND VEGGIES! They think we are that damn stupid?
Damn, I can't get down there to work those Fields. I'm working 20 hours north,
I would if I could, I have a day off and would love the cash.
Where the hell are other under employed, unemployed Americans. We should be telling these farms to stick it up their/SORRY. THESE ARE THE BS STORIES THAT REALLY BURN MY BEHIND
C-MON AMERICA GET OFF YOUR..................'S

Americans will do the work if they are paid. It is not about getting off the rear end...it is about making enough to feed the family. Pay them and they will show up. It is as simple as that.

OK, so the answer according to so many is I WILL TAKE TAKE AND TAKE ENTITLEMENTS. BECAUSE IT IS SOOO MUCH EASIER THAN CHANGING THE WAY THE STATUS QUO LABOR MARKET HAS BEEN DOING BUSINESS.
NO! IF YOU WANT TO EAT, FEED YOUR FAMILY or UNLESS KING OBAMA EXTENDS
UNEMPLOYMENT ANOTHER 99 WEEKS, SOME CHANGES BETTER BE MADE.
AND THOSE CHANGES START WITH A NEW MIDDLE CLASS WORKING THEIR
BUTTS OFF ON THE WAY UP AGAIN. AND PUTTING AMERICA AND AMERICANS BACK IN "OUR GAME. BY CHANGING THE WAY BUSINESS IS DONE. NOT SITTING WAITING BY SOME MIRACLE PUSHING A PEN AND TAPPING COMPUTER KEYS IS COMING BACK ANY TIME SOON.
Prove me wrong. If I had 10.000 Americans hell bent on changing how Arizona, Yuma, and Southern California Agriculture does business? Do you think we could improve the wages, the conditions, the cost and efficiency?
But no, WAIT on the farmers, WAIT on the Federal government. In your dreams!
I am sick and tired of this. Weather it is construction or agriculture.
Quote. American Hero Terry Andersen. "STUPID PEOPLE OF AMERICA".
I know I am not making a lot of Friends but. This is America and when things get bad a person stands up and talks the talk and walks the walk. Or goes down wondering why poor me. And it is right in front of his nose. In my opinion.
I made 60.000 last year with clean hands most of the time. Guess what? This year? My day off and my hands are dirty and ready to get dirty again wene and where ever.
I do not want anyones hard earned money."ENTITLEMENTS".
And quit takeing mine."HARD EARNED MONEY". I can not afford it.

Originally Posted by airdale

Originally Posted by redpony353

Originally Posted by airdale

"The pilot program would exempt local employers from a requirement to provide housing for Mexicans who hold special visas issued when farmers can't find enough workers in the U.S."
Sure, no housing, no place to CRAP or PEE EITHER! Hello food born illness and ANOTHER MYSTERY ILLNESS FROM OUR FRUITS AND VEGGIES! They think we are that damn stupid?
Damn, I can't get down there to work those Fields. I'm working 20 hours north,
I would if I could, I have a day off and would love the cash.
Where the hell are other under employed, unemployed Americans. We should be telling these farms to stick it up their/SORRY. THESE ARE THE BS STORIES THAT REALLY BURN MY BEHIND
C-MON AMERICA GET OFF YOUR..................'S

Americans will do the work if they are paid. It is not about getting off the rear end...it is about making enough to feed the family. Pay them and they will show up. It is as simple as that.

OK, so the answer according to so many is I WILL TAKE TAKE AND TAKE ENTITLEMENTS. BECAUSE IT IS SOOO MUCH EASIER THAN CHANGING THE WAY THE STATUS QUO LABOR MARKET HAS BEEN DOING BUSINESS.
NO! IF YOU WANT TO EAT, FEED YOUR FAMILY or UNLESS KING OBAMA EXTENDS
UNEMPLOYMENT ANOTHER 99 WEEKS, SOME CHANGES BETTER BE MADE.
AND THOSE CHANGES START WITH A NEW MIDDLE CLASS WORKING THEIR
BUTTS OFF ON THE WAY UP AGAIN. AND PUTTING AMERICA AND AMERICANS BACK IN "OUR GAME. BY CHANGING THE WAY BUSINESS IS DONE. NOT SITTING WAITING BY SOME MIRACLE PUSHING A PEN AND TAPPING COMPUTER KEYS IS COMING BACK ANY TIME SOON.
Prove me wrong. If I had 10.000 Americans hell bent on changing how Arizona, Yuma, and Southern California Agriculture does business? Do you think we could improve the wages, the conditions, the cost and efficiency?
But no, WAIT on the farmers, WAIT on the Federal government. In your dreams!
I am sick and tired of this. Weather it is construction or agriculture.
Quote. American Hero Terry Andersen. "STUPID PEOPLE OF AMERICA".
I know I am not making a lot of Friends but. This is America and when things get bad a person stands up and talks the talk and walks the walk. Or goes down wondering why poor me. And it is right in front of his nose. In my opinion.
I made 60.000 last year with clean hands most of the time. Guess what? This year? My day off and my hands are dirty and ready to get dirty again wene and where ever.
I do not want anyones hard earned money."ENTITLEMENTS".
And quit takeing mine."HARD EARNED MONEY". I can not afford it.

Sorry, but I dont get the connection. What does entitlements have to do with a decent wage? If the farmers want workers all they have to do is PAY THEM. And you call that an entitlement? Decent pay for work is an entitlement? No one is asking for handouts from farmers. They are complaining they need workers. They wont get workers if they wont pay them. People cant feed their family with a job that does not pay them enough to do that. Americans seek other jobs because the other jobs pay more. If you are talking about those on unemployment....is that what you are talking about? Well field work PAYS LESS THAN UNEMPLOYMENT. People already cant make ends meet on unemployment...they cant take less than that. And ....btw, unemployment is not an entitlement. Workers pay for that with their taxes. The thread is about complaints from farmers. All I say is PAY THEM AND THEY WILL SHOW UP!!

RELATED

Companies are posting jobs, how come people aren't applying?

http://www.alipac.us/ftopicp-1125943.html#1125943

These are entitlments!
Food stamps are the major U.S. antihunger program and help poor people buy groceries. Enrollment has set records for three months in a row, reaching 32.55 million at latest count.
According to AP, the costs of another push to have unemployment benefits extended will reach $100 billion dollars. The estimated cost includes the costs of extending unemployment benefits through 2010 for those who have been unemployed for more than six months as well as costs to provide subsidies to assist in paying health insurance premiums.
Keep adding because it will get worse.
Work or starve, no other option.
The money is gone. I'm not paying for those who wont even try.
I have nothing to apologize for. I work. I earn my right.
There are jobs, and too many excuses for not taking them.