“A veces no aguantas lo pesado que es el trabajo”: A qualitative study on work conditions, labor and social policies, and health among Latino agricultural workers in Washington State

Background

Agricultural workers are an integral part of our food system, yet they experience health and social inequities rooted in structural racism. This study sought to describe the perspectives of agricultural workers on how labor and social policies impact their work environment and health. Our conceptual framework builds on existing frameworks on work and health, emphasizing sociopolitical environments shaping laws and work environment along with a framework on structural racism and immigrant health.

Methods

This qualitative study used an interpretivist and phenomenological approach and engaged community and worker advocacy organizations. We conducted qualitative interviews with individuals 18 and older who identified as agricultural workers in Washington State. Interviews were conducted and transcribed in Spanish. We used thematic analysis to identify patterns within and across transcripts.

Findings

We interviewed 32 Latino agricultural workers, of whom half were female and over half had 10+ years of experience working in agriculture. We identified three themes: 1) labor laws that are intended to protect agricultural workers are often not being implemented as intended, 2) agricultural workers are vulnerable to mistreatment at work due to marginalized social statuses, and 3) agricultural workers face barriers accessing healthcare and workers’ compensation due to marginalization.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that current labor laws and social policies are inadequate in providing a safe and healthy work environment for agricultural workers. Future research and intervention efforts should aim to identify policies that can improve the work environment, enforce existing policies, and minimize mistreatment.