"With strength and work we contribute to the economy of the country"

"With strength and work we contribute to the economy of the country"

The experiences of a farmworker who worked in onion and vegetable farms and in a dairy farm taking care of cows. She describes reasons as to why she left her country and work conditions in Colorado agriculture.

Marta Espinoza

2021-02-08

Quisi Rodriguez-Oregel

Nora

Farmworker

Greeley, Evans, Fort Collins, and La Salle - Weld, Larimer, North 2

Mi nombre es Nora. Tengo 40 anos  y de Guatemala madre de 3 hijos.

tuve que salir de mi pais Guatemala debido a el gran  problema de inseguridad por  a las pandillas. llegue al estado de Colorado hace 8 años.

Empecé a trabajar en la cosecha de cebolla y hortalizas desde la siembra hasta la recolección. Debido al clima en invierno -5 g.f. y en verano llega a los 100 .con jornadas de mas de 10 horas diarias..La paga era buena para cubrir mis necesidades primarias pero este trabajo es temporal y decidi trabajar en una lecheria cuidando becerros. esun trabajo duro y tiene que ser rapido son 50 horas por semana no recibo pago de tiempo extra es solo un sueldo por dia..

La mayoria de las managers o encargados son personas hispanos ,latinos que miran su propio beneficio y el del patron y algunos se aprovechan de la situacion cuando una persona recien llega en su mayoria tienen miedo despues del trauma desde salir de su pais hasta llegar aca. no saben el idioma no conoces  las leyes derechos y recursos de los que se pueden beneficiar..

Ante la necesidad de un trabajo sin Seguro social. valido aceptamos el trabajo sin ningun beneficio mas que el sueldo recibido

Dejando 3 hijos con la promesa cumplida de mandar por ellos. Ahora estan aqui estudiando y ayudandose entre si para poder tomar sus clases en linea debido a la pandemia del covid 19 es dificil la comunicacion con la escuela ya que no hablo ingles.

Yo y mis 3 hijos salimos positivos al covid 19 mi salud se efecto mucho deje de  trabajar por 3 semanas sin sueldo y con miedo de perder mi trabajo. La mayoria de las personas que trabajamos en el campo o lecherias no exigimos los mismos derechos de un ciudadano americano ,pero si respeto somos personas que lo unico que  queremos es trabajar para ofrecer una vida mas digna  anuestros hijos y con esfuerzo y trabajo contribuimos a la ecomomia del pais.

My name is Nora, I am 40 years old from Guatemala, a mother of 3 children. 

I had to leave my country of Guatemala due to the big problem of insecurity caused by the pandemic. I arrived in Colorado 8 years ago. 

I began to work at the onion farm and vegetable farms, from seeding to harvesting. The weather in winter can reach -5 degrees F and, in the summer, it can reach 100 degrees F, with work days longer than 10 hours a day. The pay was good to cover my basic needs but this job was only temporary and I decided to work in a dairy taking care of cows, it is a hard job and it has to be done fast, it is 50 hours a week and I do not receive over time, it is only a certain pay per day.

The majority of the managers and the people in charge are Hispanic/Latino that look out for their own benefit and that of the boss and some of them take advantage of the situation that a person who recently arrived has fear after facing the trauma of leaving your own country and making it here. The language is not known, you don’t know the laws, rights and resources that you can benefit from. Of the need of a job without a social security, we accept the job without any benefits or asking for more money.

[When I left Guatemala,] I left 3 kids with the promise to send for them, that promise was fulfilled. Now they are here studying and helping each other to be able to take their classes online due to the covid 19 pandemic it is difficult to communicate with the school since I do not speak English.

My 3 children and I tested positive for COVID 19, my health is impacted greatly and I stopped working for 3 weeks without salary and with fear of losing my job. The majority of the people that work in the fields or the dairies, we do not demand the same rights as those of American Citizens, but we do demand respect because we are people and the only thing that we want is to work to offer a dignified life for our kids and with strength and work we contribute to the economy of the country.