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California Farm Labor Shortage 'Worst It's Been, Ever'

Isn't the point of this that there is work in a place with over 10% unemployment? Is it the greatest work? No. But for a guy without family, it could be what he needs to get his feet wet. Time to bunk in small space with 3 other dudes, dinner consists of beans/romaine and some miller lites (that is if you are going classy, if not, Red, white and blue). Get some money and keep moving forward.
 
Blue_State said:
Isn't the point of this that there is work in a place with over 10% unemployment? Is it the greatest work? No. But for a guy without family, it could be what he needs to get his feet wet. Time to bunk in small space with 3 other dudes, dinner consists of beans/romaine and some miller lites (that is if you are going classy, if not, Red, white and blue). Get some money and keep moving forward.
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If you earn 9.50 per hour, then there is no need to live like that. You can share a house with some friends for about 50 USD per week in the small towns. And earning 9.50 per hour, if you work 10 hours a day, 5.5 days a week, then you will earn 522 USD per week.

I really don't know why more young people are not doing it. It sounds like a good way to save up some money and get some experience. Sound better than staying home doing nothing.
 
PeteEU said:
So you would be willing to move yourself, your wife (if you got one) and children (if you have any) several hundred if not thousands of miles away for a minimum wage job? You would be willing to take a loss on your home, and move to an area with higher home prices ... for a minimum wage job, that is seasonal and temporary?
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I was expecting a common sense poit of view, shoulda known better I guess.
 
Camlon said:
If you earn 9.50 per hour, then there is no need to live like that. You can share a house with some friends for about 50 USD per week in the small towns. And earning 9.50 per hour, if you work 10 hours a day, 5.5 days a week, then you will earn 522 USD per week.

I really don't know why more young people are not doing it. It sounds like a good way to save up some money and get some experience. Sound better than staying home doing nothing.
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It is what I did for a brief time between more permanent jobs. I have to admit, it was fun. It was like mixing college and summer camp together.
 
Unless you have been in the position of having a family to support with no income,
having this discussion is a moot point.
You would be amazed what I have, and would put up with to make sure my family was fed and housed.
To learn first hand that adversity does not build character, it reveals it.
In the example above, a good Engineer could make himself useful and valuable to the farm industry.
Or,as bad as it sounds, Dad may have to travel to find a job, sending money home while living small.
Build up the capacity to relocate the family.
 
Camlon said:
If you earn 9.50 per hour, then there is no need to live like that. You can share a house with some friends for about 50 USD per week in the small towns. And earning 9.50 per hour, if you work 10 hours a day, 5.5 days a week, then you will earn 522 USD per week.

I really don't know why more young people are not doing it. It sounds like a good way to save up some money and get some experience. Sound better than staying home doing nothing.
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Because, Like, I went to college and stuff! This is demeaning! I showed up and NO ONE got me a TROPHY!!!


That does it, I'm going to go Occupy Mom's Basement! Take that, establishment!


hey mom, can you make me a sandwich.......?
 
PeteEU said:
So you would be willing to move yourself, your wife (if you got one) and children (if you have any) several hundred if not thousands of miles away for a minimum wage job? You would be willing to take a loss on your home, and move to an area with higher home prices ... for a minimum wage job, that is seasonal and temporary?
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:lol: that sounds alot like what I do now :lol:
 
"We have 100 fewer people this year," said Sergio Diaz, who provides workers under contract for growers. "We're having difficulty finding people to do this work for crap wages."
The lack of workers is forcing farmers to pay more. In one of Underwood's fields, pickers are harvesting peppers for $9.25 a hour, or $5 a bucket, whichever is more
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This sort of thing happens in every industry... if you're having trouble attracting workers, it's a good sign you're not paying enough.
 
Risky Thicket said:
So you're saying that most of the unemployed in California already live in places like Imperial Valley? They just need to show up for work in the fields, right? Or would recommend that unemployed electrical engineers commute daily from Northern California to El Centro?

Your idea sucks eggs.
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Illegal Mexicans didn't exactly live in Imperial valley, they found a way to get there. It's called WANTING to work. Oh, and then there is this to consider.








"Imperial County has had a long struggle with high unemployment rates, but this summer's statistics are more disturbing than usual. The unemployment rate went over 30 percent in July. That is the highest in California, and just about the highest in the nation"


http://www.kpbs.org/news/2011/aug/22/imperial-valley-unemployment-rate-tops-30-percent/
 
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Lord Tammerlain said:
and yet people are saying Obama has been soft on illegal immigrants? When the boarder security seems to be working better now then 4+ years ago
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The buildup of border security began under the Bush admin and pretty much peaked around the time Obama took office (with Obama adding a few additional agents during his tenure). It's a much larger presence that nonetheless apprehends a much smaller number of immigrants -- many left when the economy began to turn south, anti-illegal immigrant sentiment was high, and states began implementing stricter measures (e.g. Arizona). Another major deterrent to border crossings has been the increased danger and expense involved due to the presence of extremely violent drug traffickers, who routinely behead dozens of people and have been known to kill truckloads of would-be immigrants.

http://static6.businessinsider.com/...ts-apprehended-at-the-border-has-declined.jpg
 
Who cares? The growers won't pay livable wages and the workers send most of their money back to Mexico.
 
Some of the responses here are amazing. People who are unemployed and living off the system shouldn't have to take these available jobs because it might inconvienence them? Its too hard so they should continue to sit on their asses and do nothing rather than actually pull their own weight while the opportunity is there?

There was a time in this country when families did what they had to do to provide for themselves. We are so long past that it is pathetic. Now not only have we reached a point where people think they shouldn't take a job because its not convenient they are now being encouraged by others to not go to work.

If you are not working, if you cannot provide for your family, and a means presents itself in Timbuktu you need to get off your ass pack your stuff and go get that job.
 
LiberalAvenger said:
Who cares? The growers won't pay livable wages and the workers send most of their money back to Mexico.
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Ag workers make an average of $9.00 an hour while Walmart workers make around $8.75 an hour. Wal Mart has no problem filling it's positions, apparently Americans are afraid of HARD work.
 
if people aren't applying, raise the wage.
 
sawyerloggingon said:
Ten bucks an hour or welfare, hmm tough choice.:roll:
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$10/hr would put you in a cheap apartment with electricity and enough money to eat and feed your family. You may not be eating steak and lobster but you would be able to eat as long as you weren't out blowing your money on stuff you don't need. Your family may not be wearing Nike's and Polo's or whatever but you would have enough to put clothes on their backs. The problem people have with that is they could earn enough to survive however they wont be able to buy big screen tv's and xbox's and ipads and that is unacceptable.
 
Risky Thicket said:
So you're saying that most of the unemployed in California already live in places like Imperial Valley? They just need to show up for work in the fields, right? Or would recommend that unemployed electrical engineers commute daily from Northern California to El Centro?

Your idea sucks eggs.
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That's a bad yolk, RT....bad yolk. :lamo
 
sawyerloggingon said:
Ag workers make an average of $9.00 an hour while Walmart workers make around $8.75 an hour. Wal Mart has no problem filling it's positions, apparently Americans are afraid of HARD work.
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Walmart isn't back breaking labor in the sun out in the country. So a quarter more than what a walmart worker is making is not much of an incentive.
 
jamesrage said:
Walmart isn't back breaking labor in the sun out in the country. So a quarter more than what a walmart worker is making is not much of an incentive.
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Is feeding your family an incentive? Providing a roof for your kids an incentive? Being able to provide for yourself? Earning your way through life?
 
sawyerloggingon said:
If people aren't applying, deny them welfare.
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I don't have a problem with offering the jobs to those on assistance, although there would have to be a way to deal with the cost of relocation.

however, what's really going on is that the agricultural industry is dependent on desperate undocumented workers who will do hard physical labor for low wages and no benefits. that model is unsustainable, and it's coming to an end. they're going to have to pay better wages.
 
sawyerloggingon said:
Ag workers make an average of $9.00 an hour while Walmart workers make around $8.75 an hour. Wal Mart has no problem filling it's positions, apparently Americans are afraid of HARD work.
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Yeah. That's it. Americans suck. :roll:

muciti said:
$10/hr would put you in a cheap apartment with electricity and enough money to eat and feed your family.
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Where? Where can I feed clothe and house my family for less 18k a year?
 
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