Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
7
Workers
Christine Chavez and Julie Chavez Rodriguez
These words by our grandfather Cesar Chavez were written on De-
cember 26, 1990. Today, nearly two decades later, we are still fight-
ing the same struggles on behalf of humans and animals.
The individuals who toil in factory farms and slaughterhouses
engage in some of the most dangerous work in the nation to put
meat, eggs, and dairy products on our tables. Their wages and
treatment by employers often do not reflect the severe and some-
times fatal occupational hazards they face every day. Many factory
farm workers and slaughterhouse employees are also immigrants
who may be undocumented or have difficulty with the English
language, putting them in a precarious position when it comes to
unionizing, reporting workplace injuries, or simply having an op-
portunity to work in the United States.
As the United Nations has noted, the three most dangerous in-
dustries in the world are mining, construction, and agriculture.
Occupational hazards for agricultural workers include the use of
dangerous machinery and exposure to toxic pesticides and dis-
eases that are transmissible from farm animals.
Factory farm workers typically receive low salaries despite their
Christine Chavez works on campaigns to advance progressive causes. For eight
years, she served as the political director of the United Farm Workers Union.
Julie Chavez Rodriguez is currently the programs director for the Cesar E. Chavez
Foundation.
