Re: Average Hourly pay for a migrant farmworker

[Guest guest]

Does anybody know the average hourly pay for a migrant farmworker in the

U.S. I have been to the DOL and USDA website and can't seem to find

anything. The USDA has an average pay for hired workers but not

migrants. I have to put together a report and was wondering if anybody

has any tips.

Thanks,

Hedgren

[Guest guest]

Everyone,

Hourly pay is the easy one to find at BLS:

http://www.bls.gov/

Focus in on:

http://www.bls.gov/oes/home.htm

They have a handy-dandy link to farm labor:

http://www.bls.gov/oes/2000/oes450000.htm

From there you can select all the occupational divisions

in a list:

http://www.bls.gov/oes/2000/oes_45fa.htm

Hope this is helpful.

Ted

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ted Scharf, Ph.D.

Research Psychologist

Work Organization and Stress Research Section

National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health

U.S. Public Health Service

ms/C-24, 4676 Columbia Parkway

Cincinnati, Ohio 45226

513-533-8170, 513-533-8596 (fax)

TScharf@...

N.I.O.S.H. - " Safety and health at work for all people -

through research and prevention. "

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/homepage.html

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

-----Original Message-----

From: Hedgren.@...

[mailto:Hedgren.@...]

Sent: Friday, December 21, 2001 11:37 AM

Cc:

Subject: Re: [ ]Average Hourly pay for a migrant

farmworker

Does anybody know the average hourly pay for a migrant farmworker in the

U.S. I have been to the DOL and USDA website and can't seem to find

anything. The USDA has an average pay for hired workers but not

migrants. I have to put together a report and was wondering if anybody

has any tips.

Thanks,

Hedgren

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[Guest guest]

I don't know if this will help or hurt, but there has been an ongoing

discussion regarding hourly wage in the wine industry in Northern CA

(particularly Sonoma and Napa Valley areas). Growers and government rely on

a '99 survey in Napa County were 157 out of 700 surveys self-reported

average wages for migrant vineyard workers at an average of $12.71/hour. We

have questioned the validity of the study on a number of grounds. Aside

from a questionable data base, this statistic does not take into account the

fact that many FW's will work partial days or weeks during the harvest.

Another issue arises from the method of calculating wages. Many FW's are

paid by the Some workers are paid by the bucket, by the box or crate and

some by tonnage, which may not translate into an " hourly " wage. This also

neglects to take into account other charges (some illegal) against the FW's

wages -- tools, housing, transportation, etc. The county commissioned a new

survey to count the number of FW's and attempt to determine wages, with

results expected out in January. I'm happy to pass it along to anyone

interested.

----- Original Message -----

From: <Hedgren.@...>

< >

Cc: < >

Sent: Friday, December 21, 2001 8:37 AM

Subject: Re: [ ]Average Hourly pay for a migrant

farmworker

>

> Does anybody know the average hourly pay for a migrant farmworker in the

> U.S. I have been to the DOL and USDA website and can't seem to find

> anything. The USDA has an average pay for hired workers but not

> migrants. I have to put together a report and was wondering if anybody

> has any tips.

> Thanks,

> Hedgren

>

>

>

> To Post a message, send it to: Groups

>

> To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to:

-unsubscribe

>

>

[Guest guest]

Barbara Cote' @ (616)393-5775

I would be interested in the Jan. wage stats for migrant FW when you get it

.. Thanks!

[Guest guest]

Barbara,

Here is the website for the National Agricultural Statistics Service

(NASS-USDA) Farm Labor Survey report which includes hourly pay reports and

estimates of " hired workers " employed on farms on a quarterly basis:

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/ This will get you to the general USDA

site. Then do a search for " Farm Labor " which will bring up the NASS Farm

Labor Survey. (I " m sure there is a more direct route through USDA, but I

find these reports through the Cornell Library system.)

This is the only source of which I am aware that regularly provides farm

labor wage information (it also includes worker estimates). I am unaware of

any source that specifically and regularly estimates " migrant " wages. (And

if you located any such source, you would have to ask their definition of

" migrant. " )

When you and others use any of the NASS-USDA Farm Labor Survey figures, I

think you should be aware of their limitations. Please see below a message

I sent to Adolfo Mata in February, 2000 about these reports (and later

posted on this listserv).

I hope this information is helpful.

Alice C. Larson, Ph.D.

las@...

206-463-9000 (voice)

206-463-9400 (fax)

P.O. Box 801

Vashon Island, WA 98070

-----------------------------------

Dear Mr. Mata,

In reponse to your inquiry concerning the accuracy of National Agricultural

Statistics Service (NASS) estimates, here's my assessment:

NASS figures are derived from a sample of farm operators who report the

number of agricultural workers in their employ (in accordance with certain

occupational specifications) for the pay period that includes the 12th day

of the month. Information is available for the nation and for regional

groups of states.

The estimates noted in the referenced report are for January, 2000, a time

when most seasonal agricultural workers are not employed in farm work. In

addition, there is some concern of under-reporting in NASS figures for

various reasons -- one being that any worker employed during that month but

not for the sample pay period (which covers the 12th day of the month) is

not counted.

It is difficult to quantify the extent of this undercount as there are few

sources of comparative data. California may be the only state where this is

possible. Don Villarejo, past Director of the California Institute for

Rural Studies, compared six months of 1992 NASS worker estimates for

California against direct reports required by the California Employment

Development Division (EDD) of all agricultural employers in the State. He

found a 25% greater number in EDD than in NASS when adding employment

figures provided for the entire six month period by each source. (One

single month noted EDD figures greater by 36%.)

A larger problem in using NASS reports to determine total number of

farmworkers, however, lies in the fact that they are monthly figures not

estimates of individuals employed annually in agriculture. Looking at any

single month would grossly under-report the total annual number in

agriculture by discounting individuals not employed during that month.

Adding the twelve months would overcount agricultural workers by including

many individuals employed more than one month during the year.

NASS data are interesting for what they reveal of agricultural trends; e.g.,

comparative increases or decreases in monthly employment, hourly pay,

average hours worked. Even this information should be considered over a

longer period of time than a single month.

I hope this assessment is helpful in clarifying the value of what was

presented.

Alice C. Larson, Ph.D.

las@...

P.O. Box 801

Vashon Island, WA 98070

206-463-9000 (voice)

206-463-9400 (fax)

----- Original Message -----

From: <bcote@...>

< >

Sent: Wednesday, December 26, 2001 11:23 AM

Subject: Re: [ ]Average Hourly pay for a migrant

farmworker

>

> Barbara Cote' @ (616)393-5775

>

> I would be interested in the Jan. wage stats for migrant FW when you get

it

> . Thanks!

>