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CCExile

(524 posts)

26. I picked watermelons one summer out of Stockdale, Texas in 1968 or then abouts, for $1.00/hr.

Sat Sep 9, 2017, 06:43 PM

Sep 2017

I lasted about 3 weeks. It was harder, and paid 7 times less, than being a roughneck in Galveston Bay for the summer of 1975. I can't imagine doing field work for a (probably short!) lifetime at any pay. Roughnecking at least paid for another year at UT! Watermelon picking wouldn't have paid for my books. Field workers feed us, and I guarantee you 99.9 percent of "real" Americans wouldn't do it for less than $20/hr, and you would see a dramatic popular resurgence of unionism, as there was no retirement, insurance, and you have to bring your own lunch!

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Think immigrants are taking our jobs? Try picking strawberries for a day [View all] Kali Sep 2017 OP

Guy I met freshman year at college underpants Sep 2017 #1

I picked 30 pumpkins yesterday. DURHAM D Sep 2017 #2

A few years back we had our roof done. Hottest part of summer, 100+ ret5hd Sep 2017 #3

Had to get my roof replaced...it has 2 skylights in it too.. HipChick Sep 2017 #6

In the 60's and early '70s, Are_grits_groceries Sep 2017 #4

We had leaf tobacco fields in CT mountain grammy Sep 2017 #49

I picked strawberries once. Company I worked for also owned fields, let us glean the leftovers . . . Journeyman Sep 2017 #5

I had a friend who worked for a grower Mosby Sep 2017 #7

No, thanks gratuitous Sep 2017 #8

K&R Solly Mack Sep 2017 #9

My son worked the strawberry fields summers when he was in high school MichMary Sep 2017 #10

My family used to pick blueberries in the Poconos in PA BigmanPigman Sep 2017 #11

The problem is people don't their kids and grandkids competing with them for better jobs JI7 Sep 2017 #12

One of the interesting stories is that there are Ilsa Sep 2017 #69

Here's a story from 2010 of someone trying to pick lettuce QED Sep 2017 #13

I can thank you enough Control-Z Sep 2017 #53

I'm surprised I could find it... QED Sep 2017 #56

K&R Scurrilous Sep 2017 #14

Bernie Sanders Has Argued That Immigrants Do Take Away Our Jobs TomCADem Sep 2017 #15

The excerpt you posted is clearly about tech workers ... surrealAmerican Sep 2017 #23

"Life Guards" and "Service Industry" Are Tech Workers? TomCADem Sep 2017 #24

They're not farm workers either. surrealAmerican Sep 2017 #28

So, you and Bernie Are Making The Same Argument As Jeff Sessions? TomCADem Sep 2017 #55

This has nothing to do with DACA. surrealAmerican Sep 2017 #62

So, Now You Are Against Low-Wage Workers? TomCADem Sep 2017 #73

K&R theaocp Sep 2017 #16

Not only is it back breaking, it's seasonal! n/t TexasBushwhacker Sep 2017 #17

All immigrants aren't picking fruit though FLPanhandle Sep 2017 #18

Maybe their.... SergeStorms Sep 2017 #29

I agree, go after the employers FLPanhandle Sep 2017 #40

Paid under the table and avoiding taxes is done by many JI7 Sep 2017 #30

Construction work is extremely skilled labor and backbreaking, regardless of legality Not Ruth Sep 2017 #32

The solution is to make them legar residents, and then citizens. Then they'd get paid lunamagica Sep 2017 #33

Or start by paying US citizens a proper wage FLPanhandle Sep 2017 #36

Legalization is the best course. If they are legally working there won't be down rates lunamagica Sep 2017 #45

We had a concrete driveway poured and some flooring in a basement. TNNurse Sep 2017 #19

So without the immigrants the owner would have hired local guys FLPanhandle Sep 2017 #21

Perhaps I should have added detail. TNNurse Sep 2017 #31

So US citizens are drunk whiners? FLPanhandle Sep 2017 #35

My factory pays $25/hr to start. We get a TON of drunk whiners NickB79 Sep 2017 #52

You get what you pay for Not Ruth Sep 2017 #38

Without immigrants, you would hire local, probably union guys with FT work, picking up side $ Not Ruth Sep 2017 #34

See post #29. SergeStorms Sep 2017 #39

"most Americans are too lazy" FLPanhandle Sep 2017 #42

bullshit Kali Sep 2017 #46

Message auto-removed Name removed Sep 2017 #58

But would they.... SergeStorms Sep 2017 #54

Message auto-removed Name removed Sep 2017 #66

Message auto-removed Name removed Sep 2017 #57

In the early 70's when I lived in Eugene, Oregon, panader0 Sep 2017 #20

I quote the late Sam Howard Wolf Frankula Sep 2017 #22

Discussions about legal/ illeagle foriegn workers are upside down. mjvpi Sep 2017 #25

I picked watermelons one summer out of Stockdale, Texas in 1968 or then abouts, for $1.00/hr. CCExile Sep 2017 #26

As a teenager.... SergeStorms Sep 2017 #27

Why do they do it? The answer is simple customerserviceguy Sep 2017 #48

except their kids often do well and go on to college and get good paying jobs JI7 Sep 2017 #59

You cry because you're a good, decent person with empathy. yardwork Sep 2017 #50

hardest job I've ever had... alterfurz Sep 2017 #37

Yah, like apple picking here in Minnesota, the Apple capital of the USA. a kennedy Sep 2017 #41

Did it for a $1.50 an hour back in the 70s Kaleva Sep 2017 #43

When I was in high school in Oregon we would pick strawberries all summer. former9thward Sep 2017 #44

My Oregon relatives all did that in high school Not Ruth Sep 2017 #51

When I was a teenager, back in the 1970's customerserviceguy Sep 2017 #47

an ugly fact that will never be discussed DonCoquixote Sep 2017 #60

i only picked strawberries w/ my grandpa for jam or on vacation and they were there. pansypoo53219 Sep 2017 #61

The "send 'em home" crowd needs to hear an ultimatum DFW Sep 2017 #63

Silly. Who do you think picked strawberries before immigrants did? Honeycombe8 Sep 2017 #64

Message auto-removed Name removed Sep 2017 #65

um Kali Sep 2017 #70

Kids often did. Strawberry season starts as school lets out. Kids still work as berry pickers. L. Coyote Sep 2017 #72

Like many kids growing up in Arizona years ago Horse with no Name Sep 2017 #67

KNR Thank you! Lucinda Sep 2017 #68

Try growing a garden for a summer and starving if you fail. L. Coyote Sep 2017 #71