NOTE: If you don't have the book for whatever reason, here is a link to the article: https://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicagarrison/the-new-american-slavery-invited-to-the-us-foreign-workers-f?utm_term=.eo6zno7J#.mjEN8dEp
NO Definitions this time--though I might ask you about a few words in class, so read actively! :)
QUESTIONS: answer 2 of the following
Q1: The
article claims that in 2014, the Labor Department “found violations in 82
percent of the H-2 visa cases it investigated” (69). Additionally, the Mexican
government has actively been trying to save its citizens from abuse, and “has
repeatedly appealed to the United States to do more to protect guest workers”
(82). If so many documented abuses are on record, why hasn’t anything changed?
What seems to be the biggest stumbling block to reducing the number of H-2
violations?
Q2: One
investigator found working conditions which included sleeping “four to a room
in a filthy roadside motel, cooking on hot plates on the floor and unable to
drink the tap water because the plumbing was defective and actually issued
electric shocks” (88). If the working conditions are so deplorable, why do
workers from Mexico, India, and elsewhere keep coming? Wouldn’t word of mouth
eventually warn them to stay away?
Q3:
Many of the claims of workers vs. employers devolve into a kind of ‘he said-she
said’ argument, with the employers contradicting their employees’ complaints
(or vice versa, if you side with the employers). When confronted with the
employee’s complaints of draining water from crabs (to make them weight less),
the employer countered, “they didn’t tell you that they patted their hand in
the water bowl and dropped the water on the meat, did they?”” (81). From the
article itself, is there any way to tell who
to believe? Are both sides exaggerating? Or is it truly a one-sided abuse?
What do the authors seem to believe?
Q4: This article involves a number of “conversations” that that are prevalent in our society right now. Immigration/migrant workers is one of them, but only one: what is another big conversation this essay introduces to the reader? How does this article help us understand why this conversation is so important to 21st century Americans—and how much more needs to be said about it?
Q4: This article involves a number of “conversations” that that are prevalent in our society right now. Immigration/migrant workers is one of them, but only one: what is another big conversation this essay introduces to the reader? How does this article help us understand why this conversation is so important to 21st century Americans—and how much more needs to be said about it?
Jordan Bussey
ReplyDelete1. This is hard to regulate in full extent. So many cases take place, its overwhelming to the government to go to every business for inspections. Even then, any business can be good for a day then go back to treating the workers the same way after the government has left.
2. It's America, there's a dream. Where there is a will there is a way. People come to America to pursue the better aspects, rather than dealing with the cartel, drugs, and the high rate of crime they will work under these harsh conditions. Also the peso to dollar ratio puts their value of a dollar higher than that of the average citizen. This makes their will to work illegally higher.
Jessica Stephens
ReplyDelete2. Even though working conditions are so terrible, these workers are extremely desperate and feel the need to get out of their poverty-stricken countries. A common reason for this desperation is the children and families they have. Even though it is difficult to leave them behind to face uncertainty, H-2 workers will withstand quite a bit if it means providing a better quality of life for their children; others advising them to not take jobs because of poor conditions cannot sway employees from doing what they think is best.
4. Another important conversation worth having is racism and how prevalent it is in this article and in America. While in this instance it might not be blatant bigotry and hatred, there is still an underlying notion that H-2 employers can treat workers however they want because they are not American. This is crucial to the general public because if Americans cannot treat their guests with equality and respect, we should prepare to work many odd jobs and risk severing ties with other nations.
Questions:
ReplyDelete#1- One of the biggest reason behind the little impact made on the restrictions of violations would be the limited amount of resources that the Government has to investigate all the issues. There’s only about a thousand investigators for millions of visa workers in the United States. Another factor is the denial and cover ups made by Employers. Some feel that its nearly impossible to not violate any of the rules. They also feed off the idea that the county strives off of the H-2 workers cheap labor, that these unskilled jobs are something that no Americans want to do. But even though there is a high percentage of unemployment in the US its still cheaper for these Companies to pay foreigners cheaply.
#2- I feel that the pure reason that Visa workers keep coming is due to desperation. In many people’s home countries, the pay is much greater in America. So, with that being said, many are willing to take the chance of the lowered wages and abuse. Even with lowered wages it’s still a much greater amount than what can be made at home. Another factor is the “American Dream”. It sets in people’s minds and the ideology behind it is well worth the risk.
Japheth Tyler Cardwell TR 11:00am
1.Nothing has changed in the abuse lawsuits due to the government not being able to prove which side of the stories are right or wrong. the biggest stumbling block of things changing is the fact that there isnt enough investigators to keep up on all infringement of the laws reguarding h-2 migrant workers.
ReplyDelete2.workers come from all around and have to deal with the deplorable working conditions because they need to support their family's and suck it up as best as their able to in order to make money. word of mouth should warn them to stay away but the promise of money can outweigh the knowledge of danger faced.