4 ms·
Wow I lived in a shipping container for half a year while working on a (mostly) lettuce farm in the north bay area. There was a 5th wheel the permanent field cr
by dieselgate 4y ago
Wow I lived in a shipping container for half a year while working on a (mostly) lettuce farm in the north bay area. There was a 5th wheel the permanent field crew lived in (compared to migrant workers who would only show up in the spring/summer months) and also a yurt/dome type thing the farm owner previously lived in that a current-manager now lived in.
The container(s) was fine - but not glamorous, they didn't get excessively hot ever. There was also a kitchen, shower (with laundry? don't remember) all in parts of different containers.
There are some other places people (field crew) lived (some bus/camper type thing).
I honestly couldn't read the whole article because of the paywall but just because it's a container doesn't automatically mean it's "poor conditions" - though of course that can be true. In general agricultural workers face bad working/living conditions but from my specific experience here I cannot say that was the case (farm is relatively small ~35 acres).
My only relevant recollection was, after spending a lot of time on public transit (bus/train), living in a container, and spending many of my working hours in a refrigerated trucking unit - my entire world felt 10 feet wide. I look back fondly at that time - the farm management/owners were difficult to deal with though (it's a rough business - not excuses though).
Edit: I get the impression working in ag. in the states is a lucrative (and difficult) seasonal job for the migrant workers who choose to take it on. It sort of reminds me of how seasonal workers (from around the world) would head up to Alaska for the commercial fishing/crabbing seasons because it's risky but lucrative.
- jelliclesfarm 4y agoSome assumptions: you are American and you were able to quit lettuce farm job and able to look back at those times with fondness. These farm laborers will never post on HN. $9/hour without healthcare or benefits is not ‘lucrative’ unless we are speaking of migrant labour crews who are undocumented. Those who defend the use of undocumented labourers in Ag are simply enabling slave labour. Unless we take a firm stand against undocumented labour, we will never have a true picture of our economy and cost of living the American life. Considering American farms rely on undocumented labour only because it’s cheap and exploitative, we will never find Americans wanting to do these jobs. Automation is the only way out. And realistic output of Ag. [..]“Some of you should see where these folks are living, the conditions they’re in. Living in shipping containers, making $9 an hour,” he said. “No health care, no support services.”[..] [..]“The conditions farmworkers shared with the governor — being paid $9 an hour and living in shipping containers — are simply deplorable,” Villaseñor wrote. “Our country relies on their back-breaking work, yet Congress cannot even provide them the stability of raising their families and working in this country without fear of deportation, which contributes to their vulnerability in the workplace. That is no way to live.”[..]
- dieselgate 4y agoI'm not defending the use of undocumented laborers and agree it can be exploitative. My only intent is to speak firsthand of what I know and provide a data point.
- jelliclesfarm 4y agoI heard that and didn’t think otherwise. Thanks for sharing your first hand experience.