Page 5 - Dinuba Sentinel 11-8-18 E-edition

The Dinuba Sentinel
Community Thursday, November 8, 2018 | A5 Struggles of a Central
Valley eld worker
The workers we interviewed have worked the fields for over 20 years. They shared that although the work is “backbreaking” they feel it is the only job available to them as new residents in the Central Valley. The only way to get a better job was to advance your legal status. For instance, one worker shared that once they received their permanent residency they were able to move up the ladder, get their licensing, and become contractors. As contractors they received better hours but were also able to provide their fellow workers with better work conditions, such as clean water and breaks.
When asked about their benefits packages we were told that they had no knowledge about the benefits they could access as newly established citizens of the United States. After retirement some were notified that they could receive social security, and like most Americans without a retirement plan, have been struggling to make ends meet.
The workers we interviewed shared that field work is extremely hard, but contrary to some beliefs, immigrant workers are “good people who come to work.” They shared that the comments about them being murderers and gangsters is not true.
The immigrant workers do not get government assistance and come to the Central Valley simply to provide for their families. These field workers contribute to the nation’s economy but are frequently stereotyped as “bad people taking jobs.” All it took was a few hours speaking to the hard- working men and women, getting insight on what they do, to understand that we all have a common goal. Improving our lives by making resources and opportunities universal for all.
Livier Martinez is a 2018 graduate of Orosi High School and current student at USC.
Friends of Dinuba Library announce ra e winners
Friends of the Dinuba Library recently held their annual drawing for patrons of the Dinuba Branch Library and five lucky winners were announced last Thursday. Awarding the winners was Miss Dinuba Audrey Menard, pictured with the winners and members of Friends of the Dinuba Library. The winners were (Left to Right): Matthew Chua (Pre-Kindergarten to Kindergarten), Angel Martinez (Grades 4-6), Vada Melton (Grades 1-3), Rio Sorensen (Grades 7-8) and Mayra Pedrosa (Adult).
Rick Curiel | The Sentinel
Lots of opinions have been formed on immigrants and their work ethic. We took matters into our own hands and interviewed immigrant fieldworkers to better understand their perspectives on their working conditions. We spoke with field workers from the Central Valley and gathered information on who they are and what they do. The workers shared that they are usually in the fields 8 to 12 hours a day. They get paid $11/hour or by the number of crates they can fill.
Picking fruit in the blistering 100+ degree heat in the valley, while working long hours can be very detrimental to the workers’ health. They deal with sickness from encountering pesticides, injuries from picking fruit, and the psychological distress from the fear of being deported. The jobs they have don’t provide health insurance, so many field workers are left to find their own health care. That is, if they are eligible at all. Many turn to medi-cal, but fear that with the new immigration law they may not be eligible for benefits. They worry that what little health care they do have will be taken away.
Some of the workers shared that one way they learned about social security was going to a local resource center named Proteus (www.proteusinc. org). Proteus was able to tell the workers about what services were available to them like pesticide information, gas and electric assistance, and other job resources. Many are also unaware of the various benefits that can be provided through the United Farm Workers Organization (https://ufw.org/). The UFW offers workers guidance on how to obtain citizenship, what they should know about their rights as workers, and much more.
By Livier Martinez and Victoria Rocha
University of Southern California
Annual Veterans Dinner well attended
The community turned out in large numbers to Thursday's 17th Annual Veterans Dinner at the Dinuba Memorial Building. Veterans received a free meal and guests were even treated to an Elvis impersonator.
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