Bills moving through Congress would rob migrants working in fairs and carnivals of the H-2B visa’s few protections.
For many of us, summer fairs hold happy memories of riding the carousel and bumper cars and eating corn dogs, funnel cakes and cotton candy. But for the people who operate the rides and work the concession stands, the experience may be far from happy.
Their stories follow a cruel pattern: Recruited in some of Mexico’s most under-resourced communities and forced to pay illegal recruitment fees, they arrive in the United States with employer-driven debt. Many workers describe 18-hour shifts assembling and operating rides without training or protective gear. For pay they get a lump-sum weekly wage — no matter the number of hours worked — sometimes less than a few dollars an hour.
Conditions for workers today are little better than when we published the report more than 10 years ago. Part of the reason these abuses continue is that carnivals and fairs don’t stay in the same place for long, which makes it difficult for state and local government agencies to monitor and address abuses. And the fair and carnival industry has powerful lobbyists that have fought every effort to make working conditions fair.
The Outdoor Amusement Business Association, a national trade association that represents amusement operators, claims that using the P visa category will allow fair and carnivals to recruit more workers in order to operate at full capacity amid a labor shortage in the United States. But this move will undoubtedly increase fair workers’ vulnerability by removing the minimal guardrails embedded in the H-2B visa program. This is too high a price to pay.
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
Similar News:Vous pouvez également lire des articles d'actualité similaires à celui-ci que nous avons collectés auprès d'autres sources d'information.
Rock Entertainment Sports Network: Gray Media announces groundbreaking broadcast partnership with Rock Entertainment GroupToday, WOIO/WUAB parent company Gray Media, in partnership with Rock Entertainment Group, announced they have reached an agreement to launch “Rock Entertainment Sports Network” in August 2024.
Lire la suite »
Two Bills defensive stars were full-go on first day of Bills' training campBoth Matt Milano and Von Miller were back up and running on day one of Buffalo Bills training camp.
Lire la suite »
Opinion: Utah rodeos are a tradition of cruelty disguised as entertainment“It’s time for us to demand better — not just for the animals whose pain is conveniently overlooked, but for ourselves as a society.”
Lire la suite »
Opinion: I was not prepared to testify before Congress on the legality of waterboarding detaineesI wasn’t expecting to have a life-changing challenge thrown at me on my first day on the job as the 40th judge advocate general of the Navy in 2006. Since earning my law degree at California Wester…
Lire la suite »
Can Kamala Harris Win Over Conservatives?See multiple perspectives from National Review (Opinion) and New York Times (Opinion) at AllSides.com.
Lire la suite »
ESPN analyst ranks Bills QB Josh Allen among NFL's best in several key categoriesESPN released a top 10 list for seven quarterback traits with Josh Allen landing on five of the seven lists.
Lire la suite »