[PLUG-TALK] in case you nerds didn't notice ...

Paul Johnson baloo at ursine.ca
Sat Jul 9 01:53:41 UTC 2005


On Friday July 8 2005 6:04 am, AthlonRob wrote:
> Paul Johnson wrote:
> > I wouldn't count on that.  Hard to break into farming if you're
> > in this country legally or don't have the means to buy your own
> > farm. Russell is a success in the face of overwhelming defeat,
> > and more power to him for his success!
>
> I would hardly call the illegals "broken into farming" ... they're
> what are called "migrant workers" who are paid minimum wage (if
> that) to do extremeley manual labor.
>
> If you're here legally and want to do similar work, it is quite
> easy to get employed.  If you have your tractor drivers license,
> you can probably start driving a swather or combine this summer,
> even!  You'd work 60 hour weeks without overtime, but still bring
> home a decent paycheck.

True, but again, when was the last time you saw American teenagers out 
in the fields during the summer?  Sauvie Island 15 years ago is the 
last time I can remember that myself, not counting the U-Pick fields.  
I've had friends try to get jobs in the fields to make ends meet this 
recession and couldn't because even minimum wage is far more than the 
farms want to pay anyone to work (and my friends *are* the type to 
call BOLI for job discrimination and wage law violations). 

-- 
Paul Johnson
Email and Instant Messenger (Jabber): baloo at ursine.ca
http://ursine.ca/~baloo/
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