Shaine Mata Blog

There really isn't much to report. I'm still working at Seneca. Still working 12 hour shifts. My wife is worried that I am wearing myself out and wants me to take a day off. I've agreed to take Saturday off, although the thought of all that lost overtime is painful. I figure I'll have another couple weeks before she asks me to get a day off again.   One important piece of news for me is that the Mrs.. has decided to stay up here in Wisconsin until October, when the season ends. This means that she will lose her job at the Hidalgo County Head Start and that our daughter will start school here in Rice Lake. Our son currently attends the Migrant Head Start, where he will stay until October.   For once in our lives, we are earning enough money to have a little surplus. It feels nice not to be struggling. Soon, however, we'll be going back to the RGV. One hopes that the job market will be improved in South Texas.    

I am working at Seneca in Cumberland, which is about 15 miles away from Rice Lake, WI. This canning plant processes green beans. There are two 12 hour shifts with no scheduled days off during the canning season. There are some days that there may not be any work. At first, work was sporadic. We'd work a day or two and have a day or two off. It appears that we are now entering full production. We won't be having days off for a long time. The thinking amongst the migrant workers here is "nomas son tres meses". Three months of 80 hour work weeks. Some people are earning minimum wage, which is $6.50/hr in Wisconsin; others are earning more. The work is easy and boring. If you can stand the monotony, there is plenty of overtime available. Jobs are demanding in one of two ways: you have to stay in one place and do the same thing every day or you have mobility and are working hard cleaning up after the machinery. Most everybody will be on their feet for 11.5 ho...