美国国家公共电台 NPR In South Texas, Fair Wages Elude Farmworkers, 50 Years After Historic Strike

In South Texas, Fair Wages Elude¹ Farmworkers, 50 Years After Historic Strike

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Fifty years ago this summer, farmworkers in South Texas walked off the fields to protest poor wages and appalling² working conditions. They marched 400 miles to the state capital of Austin and Cesar Chavez joined them. Ultimately, they succeeded in publicizing their cause, but the strike failed. A half-century after that historic moment, what has changed? NPR's John Burnett went to the Rio Grande Valley to find out.

JOHN BURNETT, BYLINE⁴: You get a new appreciation⁵ for watermelon after standing⁶ in the fields and watching it being harvested. Two pickers walk the rows. They bend over and grab the 20-pound fruits and pitch them to a man perched on the side of a dump truck who heaves them up to another catcher in the truck bed. The melon pickers have arms like Popeye and the timing⁷ of acrobats⁸. They like this crop because the bigger the melons, the more they can earn.

A lot has improved since 1966, when watermelon workers here in the borderlands went on strike. Today, they have port-a-potties and fresh water in the field. Crop dusters no longer spray pesticide⁹ on them. And they're supposed to earn at least minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. What hasn't changed is the work. It's as brutal¹⁰ as ever.

JUSTINO DELEON: (Speaking Spanish).

BURNETT: "I've seen watermelon has no friends," says Justino DeLeon. He fell off a melon truck, hurt his arm and had to retire from farm work. "They're sweet to eat, but hell to harvest."

DELEON: (Speaking Spanish).

BURNETT: "You have to be in great condition to toss melons all day," DeLeon continues. "You work hard in the heat, and it's easy to get dehydrated."

It's not just that field work is grueling. Workers are vulnerable to getting cheated by growers and crew bosses. Since 2010, the McAllen, Texas, district office of the U.S. Department of Labor¹¹'s Wage and Hour Division has filed more than 650 cases against growers and farm labor contractors¹³, affecting nearly 2,500 workers. Francisco Javier Alvarez is one of six plaintiffs who sued Bauer Farms for not paying the minimum wage to workers who picked jalapenos there in 2010 and 2011. He's translated here by a paralegal.

FRANCISCO JAVIER ALVAREZ: (Through interpreter) So our pay was very low, and we ultimately got paid very little. And one day, we even only made $30 for the day, even though the four of us worked late into the night.

BURNETT: Alvarez says only a handful of workers were willing to step forward and file a lawsuit¹⁴.

ALVAREZ: (Through interpreter) So yeah, some were documented, but some were residents or had legal status and still would not speak up, almost as if they had grown accustomed to that type of treatment from Bauer.

BURNETT: In addition to not receiving minimum wage, workers had to buy knives and work gloves from the contractors, which further reduced their pay. The Bauer Farms lawsuit was settled out of court two years ago. The owner Ed Bauer, reached by phone, declined to discuss the case.

Daniela Dwyer is a lawyer at Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, which handled the lawsuit against Bauer Farms.

DANIELA DWYER: It's always been a problem that farmworkers are not paid, certainly, a just wage and are not even paid the minimum wage, which is $7.25 an hour.

BURNETT: Texas has some of the lowest farm wages in the country, in contrast to California where the presence of the United Farm Workers Union has raised salaries for all field hands.

DWYER: Oftentimes, when we national farmworker advocates get together, we joke about California being the land of Narnia.

BURNETT: Whether in California or Texas, agribusiness is suffering from a labor shortage.

FRANK SCHUSTER: It's a very difficult job. It's - there are other options for labor besides the backbreaking labor of farm work - flipping¹⁵ burgers.

BURNETT: Frank Schuster is a 63-year-old grower whose father came from Austria to farm in this fertile delta¹⁶ along the serpentine¹⁷ Rio Grande. Schuster hires about 200 farmworkers a year. Growers have heard the criticism. If you want to solve the labor shortage, pay your workers better. But Schuster says it's not that simple. He says agriculture in the Rio Grande Valley is at the mercy of market forces and geography.

SCHUSTER: We have to put our product to the consumer at a price as cheap as other areas can do it, have to compete with people that have a cheaper freight rate into the markets than what we do. And Georgia is a whole lot closer to the northeast than South Texas.

BURNETT: Many farmworkers interviewed for this report believe another reason for depressed¹⁸ wages in South Texas is the heavy presence of unauthorized field hands from Mexico. Of the estimated 2.5 million laborers¹⁹ working on U.S. farms and ranches²⁰, from 50 to 70 percent are thought to be in the country illegally, according to the national advocacy group Farmworker Justice. And Texas is unique. With its long international border and network of federal checkpoints on outbound highways, these immigrants are effectively trapped in the tip of Texas.

ANDRES JIMENEZ: (Speaking Spanish).

BURNETT: "The majority are undocumented," says Andres Jimenez, who used to work illegally in the fields. "I think labor contractors choose them because they'll work for less. A legal American does not want to work 12 hours under the sun picking onions and pitching watermelons." As soon as Jimenez got a work permit, he quit the fields. Now he's a manager at a dollar store.

This is where history repeats itself. In 1966, growers, in cahoots with the Texas Rangers²¹, brought in pickers from Mexico to break the farmworkers strike. Mexicans harvested the melons, and picketing²² Texas workers were out of a job. Today, Mexican laborers pick much of America's produce. But 50 years later, they're not necessarily replacing legal pickers. The fact is fewer and fewer U.S. residents and citizens will do this work.

AURORA²³ GONZALEZ: '75?

ARNULFO GONZALEZ: (Laughter).

AURORA GONZALEZ: 1975?

BURNETT: Arnulfo and Aurora Gonzalez live in a tidy mobile home across the road from a field of spiky²⁴ Aloe vera plants. Aurora retired²⁵ last year at age 80, after spending 60 years in the fields, first as a picker, then as a labor contractor¹². Her bronze, furrowed²⁶ face attests²⁷ to a life outside. Though she was not part of the '66 strike, Aurora remembers the conditions back then.

AURORA GONZALEZ: (Through interpreter) We worked from sunup to sundown, and we earned almost nothing. When you had to relieve yourself, you just went out in the open. Now everybody earns more. They get an education. Now they have everything. And before, no.

BURNETT: She exaggerates the current status of farmworkers. Today, young people who have other options shun²⁸ field work. Her grandson, fresh-faced 19-year-old, Aaron, sits on the sofa next to her. As a kid, he worked in the fields with his family. But he vowed²⁹ that last summer would be his last watermelon harvest. Aaron is going to college to be an athletic³⁰ trainer.

AARON GONZALEZ: I did not enjoy it. I'd rather be in air con³ and in college than be in - working in the fields from 5 in the morning all the way to 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

BURNETT: As the injured worker at the top of this report said, watermelon is sweet to eat, but hell to harvest. John Burnett, NPR News in the Rio Grande Valley.

1 elude   

v.躲避，困惑

参考例句：

• If you chase it,it will elude you.如果你追逐着它， 它会躲避你。
• I had dared and baffled his fury.I must elude his sorrow.我曾经面对过他的愤怒，并且把它挫败了；现在我必须躲避他的悲哀。

2 appalling   

adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions.恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• Nothing can extenuate such appalling behaviour.这种骇人听闻的行径罪无可恕。

3 con   

n.反对的观点，反对者，反对票，肺病；vt.精读，学习，默记；adv.反对地，从反面；adj.欺诈的

参考例句：

• We must be fair and consider the reason pro and con.我们必须公平考虑赞成和反对的理由。
• The motion is adopted non con.因无人投反对票，协议被通过。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

8 acrobats   

n.杂技演员( acrobat的名词复数 )；立场观点善变的人，主张、政见等变化无常的人

参考例句：

• I was always fascinated by the acrobats at the circus. 我总是着迷于马戏团里的杂技演员。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The acrobats' performance drew forth applause from the audience. 杂技演员的表演博得了观众的掌声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 pesticide   

n.杀虫剂，农药

参考例句：

• The pesticide was spread over the vegetable plot.菜田里撒上了农药。
• This pesticide is diluted with water and applied directly to the fields.这种杀虫剂用水稀释后直接施用在田里。

10 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

11 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

12 contractor   

n.订约人，承包人，收缩肌

参考例句：

• The Tokyo contractor was asked to kick $ 6000 back as commission.那个东京的承包商被要求退还6000美元作为佣金。
• The style of house the contractor builds depends partly on the lay of the land.承包商所建房屋的式样，有几分要看地势而定。

13 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

15 flipping   

讨厌之极的

参考例句：

• I hate this flipping hotel! 我讨厌这个该死的旅馆！
• Don't go flipping your lid. 别发火。

16 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

17 serpentine   

adj.蜿蜒的，弯曲的

参考例句：

• One part of the Serpentine is kept for swimmers.蜿蜒河的一段划为游泳区。
• Tremolite laths and serpentine minerals are present in places.有的地方出现透闪石板条及蛇纹石。

18 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

19 laborers   

n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工

参考例句：

• Laborers were trained to handle 50-ton compactors and giant cranes. 工人们接受操作五十吨压土机和巨型起重机的训练。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Wage-labour rests exclusively on competition between the laborers. 雇佣劳动完全是建立在工人的自相竞争之上的。 来自英汉非文学 - 共产党宣言

20 ranches   

大农场， （兼种果树，养鸡等的）大牧场( ranch的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They hauled feedlot manure from the ranches to fertilize their fields. 他们从牧场的饲养场拖走肥料去肥田。
• Many abandoned ranches are purchased or leased by other poultrymen. 许多被放弃的牧场会由其他家禽监主收买或租用。

21 rangers   

护林者( ranger的名词复数 )； 突击队员

参考例句：

• Do you know where the Rangers Stadium is? 你知道Rangers体育场在哪吗？ 来自超越目标英语 第3册
• Now I'm a Rangers' fan, so I like to be near the stadium. 现在我是Rangers的爱好者，所以我想离体育场近一点。 来自超越目标英语 第3册

22 picketing   

[经] 罢工工人劝阻工人上班，工人纠察线

参考例句：

• mass picketing of the factory 罢工工人集体对工厂的封锁
• "And my chaps were also there to prevent picketing! “我的人也是防着女工们要拦厂！ 来自子夜部分

23 aurora   

n.极光

参考例句：

• The aurora is one of nature's most awesome spectacles.极光是自然界最可畏的奇观之一。
• Over the polar regions we should see aurora.在极地高空,我们会看到极光。

24 spiky   

adj.长而尖的，大钉似的

参考例句：

• Your hairbrush is too spiky for me.你的发刷，我觉得太尖了。
• The spiky handwriting on the airmail envelope from London was obviously hers.发自伦敦的航空信封上的尖长字迹分明是她的。

25 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

26 furrowed   

v.犁田，开沟( furrow的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Overhead hung a summer sky furrowed with the rash of rockets. 头顶上的夏日夜空纵横着急疾而过的焰火。 来自辞典例句
• The car furrowed the loose sand as it crossed the desert. 车子横过沙漠，在松软的沙土上犁出了一道车辙。 来自辞典例句

27 attests   

v.证明( attest的第三人称单数 )；证实；声称…属实；使宣誓

参考例句：

• The child's good health attests his mother's care. 这孩子健康的身体证实他母亲照料周到。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The boy's good health attests to his mother's care. 这个男孩的良好健康就是他母亲细心照顾的明证。 来自辞典例句

28 shun   

vt.避开，回避，避免

参考例句：

• Materialists face truth,whereas idealists shun it.唯物主义者面向真理，唯心主义者则逃避真理。
• This extremist organization has shunned conventional politics.这个极端主义组织有意避开了传统政治。

29 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

30 athletic   

adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的

参考例句：

• This area has been marked off for athletic practice.这块地方被划出来供体育训练之用。
• He is an athletic star.他是一个运动明星。