If you are arguing that farm workers should not be paid the minimum wage you are effectively arguing that farm workers are a subclass -- a class of workers that, for whatever bogus reason you want to propagate, are not entitled to a living wage and basic human rights. As a former farm worker I can tell you that farm work, be it harvesting, maintenance, or feeding, is some of the most physically demanding, monotonous, and draining work out there. After a day on the farm you feel-- to say the least-- exhausted-- all you want to do is pass out. To ask someone to go out and do this work for less than 8 dollars an hour, 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, without overtime, workers comp, vacation leave, workers comp, etc. is ludicrous -- you are asking for slavery. And believe it or not slavery is the reason that farm workers are not provided with basic worker rights. If you look in your history books you will understand that the only reason farm workers (and domestic workers) were left out of the Fair Labor Standards Act were because the majority of these workers were black and Southern legislators did not want to further enfranchise their former slaves.
So I say give farm workers the same rights as other workers.
If you are arguing that farm workers should not be paid the minimum wage you are effectively arguing that farm workers are a subclass -- a class of workers that, for whatever bogus reason you want to propagate, are not entitled to a living wage and basic human rights. As a former farm worker I can tell you that farm work, be it harvesting, maintenance, or feeding, is some of the most physically demanding, monotonous, and draining work out there. After a day on the farm you feel-- to say the least-- exhausted-- all you want to do is pass out. To ask someone to go out and do this work for less than 8 dollars an hour, 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, without overtime, workers comp, vacation leave, workers comp, etc. is ludicrous -- you are asking for slavery. And believe it or not slavery is the reason that farm workers are not provided with basic worker rights. If you look in your history books you will understand that the only reason farm workers (and domestic workers) were left out of the Fair Labor Standards Act were because the majority of these workers were black and Southern legislators did not want to further enfranchise their former slaves.
So I say give farm workers the same rights as other workers.