RE: migrant labor and workers compensation

[Guest guest]

This may be of use to others, so I'm posting my reply to the whole list.

Hello,

If you're interested in items from 20 years ago, you should check out these

articles from another southern state: North Carolina. Some of these cases

resulted in the first prosecution from anti-slavery laws left over from the

Civil War, I believe. I've cited articles from the paper here in Durham,

NC; however, I believe several of the stories were AP stories and should

have received wider coverage. NC later issued a flowery report on migrant

labor in 1983 titled " Migrant Workers: Report to the 1983 General Assembly

of North Carolina " (Legislative Research Commission).

" Appeals Court Upholds ŒSlavery¹ Convictions. " Durham Morning Herald 01 Aug.

1981: B4.

" Study Says Violence Used to Keep Migrants in Camp. " Durham Morning Herald

19 Aug. 1981: A12.

" FBI Is Probing Allegations Laborers Held Against Will. " Durham Morning

Herald 21 Aug. 1981: A10.

" Jury Probing Allegations Workers Held Against Will. " Durham Morning Herald

02 Sep. 1981: C12.

" Slavery Claimed at Labor Camp. " Durham Morning Herald 26 Sep. 1981: A1.

" Four Men Indicted in Slavery Charges. " Durham Morning Herald 08 Oct. 1981:

A1.

" Slavery: Reported Cases May Be ŒTip of the Iceberg¹. " Durham Morning Herald

18 Oct. 1981: A16.

-- ph Lee <jose.lee@...>

http://www.duke.edu/~jgl4

> From: " leerailunder " <pfr@...>

> Reply-

> Date: Mon, 01 Dec 2003 15:24:53 -0000

>

> Subject: [ ] migrant labor and workers compensation

>

> I am a professional in the workers compensation field and a frequent

> writer on that topic in the trade press. I am writing an article

> promoting the need for coverage in all states of agricultural

> workers. Some states exclude these workers from workers comp

> benefits.

>

> The article will probably featres Arkansas, which does not cover

> these workers, but I can refer to other states as well.

>

> I would much apreciate an insights into this issue, inlcuding an

> documented cases of real harm to workers for either lack of coverage

> or illegal behavior by employers.

>

> You can reach me via the groups or, preferably, directly as well at

> pfr@...

>

> Thanks,

>

> Rousmaniere

> Somerville MA

>

>

>

>

>

> To Post a message, send it to: Groups

>

> To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to:

> -unsubscribe

>

>

[Guest guest]

Rousmaniere,

I'm glad to hear that this topic is of interest. I have the firm belief that

this is quite important to worker health and safety to have the pressure from a

wc system motivating employer health and safety behavior. Idaho adopted wc for

its ag workers a few years ago (92 I think). A tragic accident and devastating

accident to a farmworker was the back breaking straw. This is probably

searchable on the web but i dont have a direct reference.

Good luck. This is very important and I would love to see what you come up with.

C. Keifer MD MPH

Box 357234

University of Washington

Seattle, WA 98104

phone 206 616 1452 phax 206 616 2687

On Mon, 1 Dec 2003, leerailunder wrote:

> I am a professional in the workers compensation field and a frequent

> writer on that topic in the trade press. I am writing an article

> promoting the need for coverage in all states of agricultural

> workers. Some states exclude these workers from workers comp

> benefits.

>

> The article will probably featres Arkansas, which does not cover

> these workers, but I can refer to other states as well.

>

> I would much apreciate an insights into this issue, inlcuding an

> documented cases of real harm to workers for either lack of coverage

> or illegal behavior by employers.

>

> You can reach me via the groups or, preferably, directly as well at

> pfr@...

>

> Thanks,

>

> Rousmaniere

> Somerville MA

>

>

>

>

>

> To Post a message, send it to: Groups

>

> To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to:

-unsubscribe

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dear

Farmworkers and other temporary undocumented workers are often not on the

books and therefore they have no proof of employment, which makes them

ineligible under Florida's Workman's Comp. Since 9-11 I can tell

you that many crew leaders who employ the workers do not pay them with

checks anymore. Instead they pay them in cash, the transactions are

meant to ensure that employers who employ workers without legal documents

stay out of the line of scrutiny. This underground " cash

economy " has some far reaching consequences. One is that

workers who have limited education are often unaware of how much they

should have been paid and when they receive a wad of cash they often fear

it is not the right amount. Another is that we have many personal

cases of folks who cannot even qualify for health coverage for their US

born children because they really have no proof of income.

Hope this is helpful

Alayne Unterberger

At 05:08 PM 12/1/2003 -0800, you wrote:

Rousmaniere,

I'm glad to hear that this topic is of interest. I have the firm belief

that this is quite important to worker health and safety to have the

pressure from a wc system motivating employer health and safety

behavior. Idaho adopted wc for its ag workers a few years ago (92 I

think). A tragic accident and devastating accident to a farmworker was

the back breaking straw. This is probably searchable on the web but i

dont have a direct reference.

Good luck. This is very important and I would love to see what you come

up with.

C. Keifer MD MPH

Box 357234

University of Washington

Seattle, WA 98104

phone 206 616 1452 phax 206 616 2687

On Mon, 1 Dec 2003, leerailunder wrote:

> I am a professional in the workers compensation field and a frequent

> writer on that topic in the trade press. I am writing an article

> promoting the need for coverage in all states of agricultural

> workers. Some states exclude these workers from workers comp

> benefits.

>

> The article will probably featres Arkansas, which does not cover

> these workers, but I can refer to other states as well.

>

> I would much apreciate an insights into this issue, inlcuding an

> documented cases of real harm to workers for either lack of coverage

> or illegal behavior by employers.

>

> You can reach me via the groups or, preferably, directly as well at

> pfr@...

>

> Thanks,

>

> Rousmaniere

> Somerville MA

>

>

>

>

>

> To Post a message, send it to:

Groups

>

> To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to:

-unsubscribe

>

>

[Guest guest]

Rousmaniere,

Indiana along with Arkansas and 11 other states are not required by law to provide farm workers with compensation benefits (insurance) according to an article (page 3) that I recently read in the Migrant Health Newsline newsletter (National Center for Farm Worker Health, Inc., ...http://www.ncfh.org). Adding to the previous e-mail, I too am aware that some farm workers here in Indiana are paid in cash for obvious reasons. You might want to e-mail the Indiana Legal Services, Inc. (Farmworker Law Project) Krin Flaherty (krin.flaherty@...) for possible information. Or, contact Buchanan of the Indiana U.S. Department of Labor (Wage & Hour Division) at buchanan@.... You are certainly tackling interesting research. Good Luck.

Santiago L. Tijerina Jr., Pesticide & Workplace Safety TrainerTransition Resources Corporation, An Equal Opportunity Employer, Auxiliary aids and services are available to individuals with disabilities upon request.

-----Original Message-----From: Alayne Unterberger [mailto:alayne@...]Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2003 11:37 AM Subject: Re: [ ] migrant labor and workers compensationDear Farmworkers and other temporary undocumented workers are often not on the books and therefore they have no proof of employment, which makes them ineligible under Florida's Workman's Comp. Since 9-11 I can tell you that many crew leaders who employ the workers do not pay them with checks anymore. Instead they pay them in cash, the transactions are meant to ensure that employers who employ workers without legal documents stay out of the line of scrutiny. This underground "cash economy" has some far reaching consequences. One is that workers who have limited education are often unaware of how much they should have been paid and when they receive a wad of cash they often fear it is not the right amount. Another is that we have many personal cases of folks who cannot even qualify for health coverage for their US born children because they really have no proof of income.Hope this is helpfulAlayne UnterbergerAt 05:08 PM 12/1/2003 -0800, you wrote:

Rousmaniere, I'm glad to hear that this topic is of interest. I have the firm belief that this is quite important to worker health and safety to have the pressure from a wc system motivating employer health and safety behavior. Idaho adopted wc for its ag workers a few years ago (92 I think). A tragic accident and devastating accident to a farmworker was the back breaking straw. This is probably searchable on the web but i dont have a direct reference. Good luck. This is very important and I would love to see what you come up with. C. Keifer MD MPH Box 357234University of WashingtonSeattle, WA 98104phone 206 616 1452 phax 206 616 2687On Mon, 1 Dec 2003, leerailunder wrote:> I am a professional in the workers compensation field and a frequent > writer on that topic in the trade press. I am writing an article > promoting the need for coverage in all states of agricultural > workers. Some states exclude these workers from workers comp > benefits. > > The article will probably featres Arkansas, which does not cover > these workers, but I can refer to other states as well.> > I would much apreciate an insights into this issue, inlcuding an > documented cases of real harm to workers for either lack of coverage > or illegal behavior by employers. > > You can reach me via the groups or, preferably, directly as well at > pfr@...> > Thanks,> > Rousmaniere> Somerville MA> > > > > > To Post a message, send it to: Groups> > To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: -unsubscribe > >