Civil Rights Commission Releases Report on Migrant Living Conditions in West Michigan

Michigan Civil Rights Commission
2010 Report on the Conditions of
Migrant and Seasonal Farm workers in Michigan

March 22, 2010

Excerpt from Executive Summary:

"First, families were often living in housing that was extremely substandard, including structural defects, lack of clean running water, exposed wires, overcrowding, close proximity to fields (and thus pesticides) and poor sanitation. Because camps are typically inspected pre-occupancy, the most hazardous violations are often not apparent, or may not yet exist, when the inspector is present.

Second, the Commission heard testimony from many farm workers describing discrimination that they had endured. Farm workers related incidents of sex-based discrimination against women, sexual harassment, national origin discrimination and racial discrimination. The Commission received several reports of employers refusing jobs to U.S. citizens or to English-speakers, preferring instead to hire farm workers who do not speak English and are thus believed to be less likely to know they have the right to be treated fairly or to complain about low wages or poor working conditions.

Third, the working conditions faced by migrant and seasonal farm workers were often the topic of their testimony during the forums. Problems described included the lack of drinking water, portable toilets and hand washing facilities available in fields where the hand-harvesting various types of agricultural products is taking place. Some workers said they did not have access to water in the fields at all, while others stated their employer charged them for water. Some stated there were no bathrooms and no breaks offered. Other testimony during the forums described outright wage theft and established that the accepted industry practice of growers paying piece rates to workers often results in workers being paid less than the required minimum hourly wage.

Fourth, for many of Michigan’s migrant farm workers, language barriers present a substantial obstacle to accessing services. Although all organizations that receive federal funding are required to provide equal services for their Limited English Proficient (LEP) clients, many do not. The testimony outlined difficulties encountered when attempting to obtain drivers’
and marriage licenses at some Secretary of State’s offices, in interaction with health care providers, county clerks’ offices, the police, and with local hospitals.

Problems with state and local law enforcement were discussed by several individuals. Allegations included officers overreaching into the area of federal immigration law and stopping people without cause based on their appearance, a form of discrimination often termed racial profiling.
Child farm workers not only have limited legal protections, they also face extremely hazardous working conditions. Several people testified that these conditions have had severe negative impacts on children and their future. Coupled with this, others spoke about the inability to procure childcare while working in the fields for long hours each day.

Finally, racism and other forms of mistreatment directed at farm workers by people in the community were alleged. While some might discount some of this animosity as the result of a bad economy, this can not excuse the mistreatment of migrant and seasonal farm workers who are contributing to Michigan’s agricultural economy."

www.michigan.gov/documents/mdcr/Summary-Concl-NextSteps_as_passed_by_MCRC_315420_7.pdf