Estado del sector 48 

Schooling. The levels of schooling completed by the Mexican and Nicaraguan workers who were formally interviewed for this study varied considerably (Table 4.6). The majority (69.2%=27/39) had completed school to somewhere in the range of grade 7 to grade 10. Spanish was the mother tongue of these workers and was reported as the only language that they speak in their home countries.11 The oral literacy and communications skills of the farmworkers I interviewed also varied. Some were quite ready with answers and readily able to elaborate. Others were either more reticent or had more limited ability to explain their views. While questions were framed in plain language, the topics were not all ones that these workers were accustomed to discussing.

Table 4.6. Latino farmworker schooling

Grade Number of workers Total %

Completed Women (n=10) Men (n=29) (n=39) Certificate* 1 1 5.1 Grade 12 - 4 10.2 Grades 7 to 10 8 19 69.2 Grades 3 to 6 1 5 15.3

*Similar to applied or technical school diploma.

11 _{It should be noted that, given the continued use of Indigenous languages in some parts of Nicaragua and}

Mexico, it is likely that some of these workers had been exposed to other idioms—perhaps even in their own homes where elders may have spoken other languages (see Arcury et al., 2010). It is also possible that, particularly in the larger group interviews, such personal details did not come to the surface.

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With respect to family situations, all the Latino (male) farmworkers interviewed mentioned that they are married and have children in their countries of origin. Most of the women also

mentioned that they have children and most were single mothers. Migrant farmworkers

participating in the SAWP and AS programs are not allowed to bring any family members along with them when they travel to Canada.

Overview of Farm Tasks Performed in Saskatchewan in 2012. With respect to the number of workers employed by subsector, 26 were employed primarily in beekeeping, four in horticultural nurseries, and nine in vegetable production. It is important to note that, in some instances,

horticultural nurseries may include vegetables in their production plans and that vegetable farms may include certain horticultural nursery activities in some years. In general, the 26 workers employed in the beekeeping subsector performed tasks such as beehive cleaning and assembling, transportation of beehives to field sites, hive maintenance, honey and wax extraction, loading hives and honey containers on trucks, and unloading equipment and other goods from trucks. Workers with carpentry skills made beehives boxes and beehive frames. Others painted beehives. In years when honey production was high, the women reported that they helped with the field operations, loading, moving, inspecting, and maintaining beehives. However, most of the time their work assignment was to extract honey in the warehouse. When they were in the extraction area, they loaded the extraction machine with the frames full of honey. Loading trucks and semitrailers with full honey barrels required substantial physical strength and was a task assigned to men.

The nine workers employed in vegetable production said that they planted, harvested, and

selected vegetables with no blemishes, then, washed, sorted, and packed them. They also cut seed potatoes to prepare them for planting and participated in the harvest, sometimes by standing on the mechanical harvester driven by the farmer or a supervisor. After vegetables were harvested, they were loaded onto trucks and stored in a warehouse. Vegetable boxes were also loaded into semitrailers for shipment. All the men working on vegetable farms reported that loading

semitrailers with packed vegetables was one of the most important tasks at their worksites. Some workers commented that they typically loaded up to 10 semitrailers each harvest season. The four workers employed in horticultural nurseries reported that they performed a range of manual tasks

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depending in part on their level of experience. Some men also operated tractors and other smaller farm machinery. The workers commented that the work was usually done in teams. It was also reported that an important task in horticultural nurseries was unloading agricultural inputs and loading trucks with plants.

With respect to pesticide use, only one worker in my sample reported having occasionally

sprayed agrochemicals some years ago. He also reported that he was provided with the necessary personal protective equipment and training by his employer. However, he could not describe, or name, the type of chemical he had sprayed. It is not clear whether this worker understood usage instructions or not. It is worth mentioning that agrochemicals are not used on all farms where Latino farmworkers are employed since their use varies depending on the subsector. On beekeeping farms, such products are generally avoided or not used at all. At one farm where pesticides were part of the production system, the employer reported that his Latino workers do not spray because specialized pesticide application knowledge (instructions are written in English) and experience in using spraying equipment are required.

Although it was evident that most of the interviewed Latino farmworkers (men and women) lack knowledge about pesticides—e.g. commercial and chemical/technical names, types, formulations, uses, application methods, storage recommendations, safety, or toxicity—in general, the

farmworkers interviewed did not seem too worried about pesticide exposure in their workplaces because they are not directly involved in pesticide application/spraying. On vegetable/nursery farms where certain pesticides are used, some of the Latino farmworkers reported that, whenever pesticides are sprayed (by the employers, Canadian managers, or private companies), they are instructed to stay away from the farm entirely or the treated areas for several days. In some instances, this means that workers are assigned tasks that can be completed at other agricultural locales that are also part of the enterprises.

Workplace hazards/risks vary across farms and, therefore, worker health and safety concerns are not the same at all workplaces. In the beekeeping sector, the major concerns of both women and men are the risk of getting multiple bee stings on a single day and risks associated with lifting heavy things—e.g. beehives that contain honey. Some workers commented that bees are

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frequently able to get beneath their personal protective gear. Although women were not involved in heavy lifts at all the beekeeping farms, those that were reported that they feel at particular risk of physical harm due to the heavy lifting. These women are worry, for example, that they may get hernias if they continue lifting heavy objects. Men are also concerned about heavy lifting in the beekeeping sector, particularly lifting hives that are full of honey. Although the men felt able to lift these beehives, their worry is more about injury associated with repetitive lifting given the number of times that they make such lifts throughout the season. These men worry that their backs may wear out in four or five years.

On vegetable farms, although heavy lifting is also fairly common at different points in the season, it was not reported as a significant safety concern. Washing/rinsing vegetables was reported as a frequent task that occurs throughout the harvest season and is usually carried out early in the mornings. Several workers on vegetable farms expressed concerns that washing/rinsing of vegetables harmed their hands. These workers, mostly women, commented that, when the weather is cold, the water temperature is very low. After washing/rinsing vegetable for hours, their hands become extremely cold and stiff. They can experience pain and discomfort for hours even when they use gloves.

With respect to machinery hazards, several men and one woman that dealt with machinery expressed the view that entanglements and related kinds of accidents posed a serious risk. These workers reported that their employers and supervisors routinely assign and oversee work that clearly presents a risk of entanglement. One female farmworker reported sustaining a finger injury when helping Latino coworkers to attach a trailer. In summary, heavy and repeated lifts, bee stings, stiffness/pain in hands due to washing vegetables in cold water and while exposed to cold air, and machinery entanglements are the workplace safety concerns that the migrant farmworkers most frequently reported.