Tweety Sez "Ag Workers Make $10-15 Per Hour!"

[stopbush]

????????

"Jobs that pay well."

"Why would they stay in Mexico making two bucks an hour when there's a well-paying job in
LA or Chicago (ie: $10-15 p/hr)?"

Bubble boy or what?

BTW - do the math:

$15x40 hrs per week= $600

$600x52 weeks = $31,200

Forget that these people are getting minimum wage if they're lucky.

[ShortnFiery]

1. I want to live in HIS world ... not reality. n/t

[texasleo]

2. sniffing peroxide = no good

[Bozita]

3. When your family income is eight figures, the disconnect is obvious

[ceile]

4. It's more around $5, isn't it?

I'll pick veg for $15 an hour!

[Recursion]

6. Depends

Supply and demand are still factors. There are places where people just can't get hands and have to raise their wages. Some of the farms in MD and VA hire at that rate because they're competing with construction firms in DC.

[FreakinDJ]

11. Piece work

.50 per basket

[jaysunb]

5. Some do....

but the work is on a seasonal basis.

[leveymg]

7. Here's the DOL prevailing wage for ag workers in Imperial Valley, CA

FLC Wage Results New Quick Search New Search Wizard
$8.14/hr - is the normal wage for non-supervisory agricultural workers in the Imperial Valley of California, according to the USDOL. Supervisors and more specialized workers earn more.


http://www.flcdatacenter.com/OesQuickResults.aspx?area=060005&code=45-2099.99&year=6&source=1
You selected the All Industries database for Calendar Year 2006.

Your search returned the following: Print Format

Area Code: 060005
Area Title: Imperial
OES/SOC Code: 45-2099
OES/SOC Title: Agricultural Workers, All Other
Level 1 Wage: $8.14 hour - $16,931 year

For information on determining the proper occupation and wage level see the new Prevailing Wage Guidance on the Skill Level page.

This wage applies to the following O*Net occupations:

45-2099.99 Agricultural Workers, All Other

[FreakinDJ]

12. Grossly inflated

$8 for a field manager supervising 10 to 15 workers is more like it

[Hamlette]

17. DOL stats. . .

come from employers' reports to the UI (unemployment) office. Employers would not inflate the amount of wages paid since they are taxed on those wages.

[leveymg]

22. No, prevailing wage figures are based on DOL surveys.

Those surveys are based on figures reported by employing industries. The H-2B workers are supposed to be paid the prevailing wage, but I'm not sure how often it works out that way.

[FreakinDJ]

25. You really should check what web site your citing

Here is what the Dept. of Labor says about H2B visa (temporary Agricultural worker)

Rates of Pay: In every H-2A employment situation the employer must agree to pay to all workers working in certified jobs a wage rate of the higher of either: (a) the Adverse Effect Wage Rate or (b) the Prevailing Rate for a given crop/area. Neither of these rates may be less than the Federal Minimum Wage -- currently $5.15 an hour. Wages may be calculated on the basis of hourly or "piece" rates of pay. However computed, they must not be less than the rate specified in the job offer/worker contracts.
http://www.dol.gov/esa/regs/compliance/whd/whdfs26.htm

No offense - but I run a website devoted to LEGAL immigration. It is amazing how little most Americans know about this stuff

[leveymg]

28. In effect, it's still the prevailing wage that applies to H-2Bs. Here's

what DOL says about how prevailing wages for H-2B ag workers are calculated (not sure about H-2As, that's a different program):

http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/foreign/wageinfo.asp
Foreign Labor Certification Prevailing Wages

The prevailing wage rate is defined as the average wage paid to similarly employed workers in the requested occupation in the area of intended employment.

For permanent employment certification, employers must request and receive a prevailing wage determination from the State Workforce Agency (SWA) having jurisdiction over the proposed area of intended employment prior to filing ETA Form 9089.

For the H-1B, H-1B1, E-3, and H-2B programs, employers have the option of using one of three wage sources to obtain the prevailing wage: (1) requesting a prevailing wage from the appropriate SWA; (2) using a survey conducted by an independent authoritative source; or (3) using another legitimate source of information.

By obtaining the prevailing wage from the appropriate SWA, H-1B, H-1B1, and E-3 employers are given "safe-harbor status," meaning that if the employer's wage compliance is investigated for any reason, the Wage and Hour Division of the Employment Standards Administration will not challenge the validity of the prevailing wage as long as it was applied properly (i.e., correct geographic area, occupation, and skill level).

[FreakinDJ]

29. You realise there is more then 1 way to skin a cat

Even Electrical Engineers working here for Huelit Packard are scared to speak up about employment conditions. Once they lose their job their visa is cancelled if they can not find another employer with in 60 days.

AND the employer must be willing to file the forms, pay the fees and ensure the coditions of the visa.

The electronics industry who succesfully lobbied for the H1B visa program does not dump 100s of 1000s of dollards into lobbying efforts for nothing. Sure they can show prevailing wage as 35K a starting electrical engineer but these H1B workers will devote additional saleried (non paid hours) to keep their job. And how would you like to go up for your 6 month or anual review asking for a raise when you know full well if they cancel your job they cancel your visa.

Last I heard they are paid 20 - 25% less then comp.

BTW: a friend of mine at HP with a PhD in electrical eng. had his job canceled. He was from India.

[High Plains]

18. What do you know that the Department of Labor doesn't know?

Why should we take your unvarnished word over the DOL stats?

[FreakinDJ]

23. I know the workers

believe me - they would love to be getting those wages working the fields

[leveymg]

21. I'm not vouching for it. That's just what DOL lists

I know that DOL does wage surveys by calling the HR departments of the companies that hire ag workers. That may be what the contractors are getting paid per worker.

Those companies that directly contract H-2B temp workers are supposed to retain payroll records, and make them available for inspection, but that's not the source for these wage figures.

[FreakinDJ]

26. Sorry don't want to flame but....

The visa conditions also allow Piece Work.

That is the catch

But yes I know Field managers supervising 10 - 15 workers over 180 acers of fruit tress that are making $8 per hr. One guy asked for a raise and they told him good bye. He has a better job now and they just got another illegal to fill the job

[warrens]

8. Most of them are getting up to $10 an hour, but....

They ain't getting anywhere near 52 weeks a year, any benefits, etc. Field work is seasonal. In factories, they're getting $6 or so, and in restaurants and processing, $5 or so. So that works out to about $10K a year, before taxes.

[FreakinDJ]

13. who says they are paying taxes

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

9. Tweety makes $10,000 an hour.

What the fuck does he know?

1 hour X 5 days X 52 weeks= 260 hours (A year! Not 260 hours in 7 weeks like the average schmo.)

260 X $10000 = $2,600,000.

Fuck Tweety!

[LifeDuringWartime]

10. i wish i made $10-15 per hour!

i make less than that at my on-campus job.

[BlooInBloo]

14. Tweety's a lyinig bitch.

When I picked blueberries (for a single day as a stupid teenager), I was paid by WEIGHT PICKED not by the time it took. I'd be surprised if that's changed.

And no normal person could pick the equivalent, in weight, of $10-15/hour. Maybe Dr. Octopus - lol.


And BTW - simply times-ing by 2000 is a good quick n dirty way to approximate yearly income from hourly wage.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

19. Unless you're a talking head.

Then you multiply by 200.

Hours worked per year. :rofl:

[BlooInBloo]

20. touche!

[htuttle]

15. Tweety doesn't even realize the world of difference between $10 and $15/hr

At $15/hour, you *might* be able to afford meat now and then in most parts of the country.

At $10/hour, you're relying on the food pantry for corn flower and stale donuts...

[liberalhistorian]

16. Oh, well, hell, if Tweety

says it, then it must be true! :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

What a fucking clueless, elitist idiot. I'd like to see HIM try to live on the "well-paid" wage of $10-15/hour!

[PassingFair]

24. I would be willing to wager....

that you could live better in Mexico on $2.00 an hour than you
could in Chicago @ $10.00 an hour.

Way better.

[FreakinDJ]

27. You would be surprised

The number of illegal workers living 10 - 12 per 2 bedroom apartment sending money home to their families in Mexico, making payments on homes and small ranches.

[tjwash]

30. Tweety: "Looks like I picked the wrong day to quit sniffing glue..."

:eyes: