I want the public to know more about me and my colleagues and the conditions we are experiencing during this time. I think it is important that the public knows that it is undocumented workers who are doing this most essential work, and that we cannot receive government aid.
I am originally from Guatemala. I work on a dairy farm in the North Country of upstate New York. I am one of the thousands of people like me who make it possible for all people to have access to milk.
It doesn’t matter that we, farmworkers, have finally been recognized as “essential workers.” If my employer finds out that I am talking about the current conditions on the farm, he can fire me. For this reason, I cannot say my true name or the exact place where I work.
During this global pandemic, some people can work from home. Some people can apply to receive assistance from the government. We cannot. Undocumented farmworkers like me have to keep working, just as we did before. It doesn’t matter that our kids are not going to school. We keep working, up to 12 hours a day, to maintain our jobs and so that people can continue to have their milk and yogurt.
We are isolated, and many of us depend on our employers for information and access to food. Unfortunately, many employers have not provided us with accurate information about the virus and about our rights if we get sick. Protections are inconsistent. Some farmers have given out masks and others have not. The lack of information and protections on some farms is very dangerous.
Also, maintaining social distance on farms is practically impossible. Not only do we work close to each other, but we also live together in small, crowded housing.
If I get sick, I have no way to go to the doctor. Like many workers, I live with my wife and my young children. Like most of our community, we are adapting to not only being parents and essential workers, but also teachers in our small quarters. If I stop working, my employer can kick us all out of our house. My family will be left without a home. Because I am undocumented, I cannot receive unemployment insurance or qualify for a stimulus check although I have been paying taxes for 12 years.
So, what is my choice? Keep working, even if I get sick.
