Earlier this week marked Cesar Chavez day, celebrating the Mexican-American activist known for championing farmworkers’ rights.
In honor of the holiday, labor rights groups CAUSE and MICOP rallied with Santa Maria farmworkers for higher wages by unveiling a new study.
The report, called Harvesting Dignity, suggests farmworker income often falls below the living wage in Santa Barbara County.
Hazel Davalos from CAUSE explained that despite the region’s thriving agricultural sector, farmworker wages have remained low.
“We really see farm workers providing a highly skilled, important contribution to our local economy,” Davalos said. “Farm workers are essential, and they should be compensated as such.”
Macedonio Santo, a local strawberry field worker, shared how tough it is to support his family.
“With all the rain and all the work that we do, our wage is very low: around 16 dollars,” Santo said. “16 dollars doesn't count for groceries– for rent.”
The study revealed that housing costs take up 30% or more of the earnings of over half of farmworkers.
MICOP’s Fernando Martinez is the son of agricultural workers. He recalled his parents picking strawberries under the hot sun – with little money to show for it.
Martinez urged local leaders to prioritize finding solutions to these issues.
“We cannot continue to ignore their needs if we wish to maintain a sustainable relationship between the agriculture industry and the farmworking community,” Martinez said.
The new report is part of an ongoing fight for farmworker rights– a cause Cesar Chavez once spearheaded.
