HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — While the coronavirus pandemic has led to unemployment on a massive scale across the nation and affected workers in many different fields, migrant farm workers might be among those most affected, since many of them do not qualify for aid the way other displaced workers might.
- Work dwindling as demand decreases
- Congressional Hispanic Caucus calling on lawmakers to provide protections for workers in future stimulus bills
- More Hillsborough County stories
Bernardo Santiago is trying his best to make ends meet. It's not an easy feat with five kids to feed.
“Since they’re not going to school right now, I have to restock the fridge about two times a week," he said. "And we have to give them food."
Santiago and his wife are migrant farm workers in Hillsborough County.
As demand dwindles, so does work. He says he’s only working two days a week right now.
“The little bit of work that’s in the fields, everyone’s trying to take it and since there are so many working at once, it's over pretty quickly,” he said.
It may force his family to make the move up to Michigan for their harvest season a bit earlier, but that requires money, too.
“I can’t go and spend all the money on gas. What are we going to eat when we get there?” he said.
Meanwhile, the Trump Administration is reportedly looking to cut farm worker pay to help the agriculture industry during the pandemic. The prospect only adds to Santiago's concerns.
“We’re only making 8.49 an hour. Its not enough," he explained. "That’s what we’re making an hour. If I work 8 hours, it’s barely 74 dollars and if they take some away? I’m only going to make like 50 dollars a day. It doesn’t seem fair."
Just this week, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus called on legislative leaders to provide protections for workers in future coronavirus stimulus bills.
“We don’t have insurance. We don’t have residency. We just have to bear it out in the fields. Getting minimum pay. We have to conform,” Santiago said.