By Kristin Carlson - WCAX News
Addison, Vermont
November 19, 2008
69-year-old Nancy Sabin is full of energy. She found a new calling in retirement.
"I'm Mama Nancy," she explains.
Mexican workers gave her the nickname-- she's their self-described protector in Vermont.
"The range of farms are Derby to Swanton to Springfield," Sabin says.
She's taking workers to get clothing at the grange hall in Charlotte. Many are in the U.S. illegally and this trip could land her in jail.
"I'm honored and if I'm doing something wrong and I happen to get arrested-- I need a vacation," she says.
Sabin started this six years ago after she was invited to a farmers' meeting to help translate for Hispanics looking for work. They had been brought here by human smugglers.
"I thought this was a form of slavery; no one was looking out for the best interest of the Mexican," Sabin says.
So she decided she would and gave out her phone number. From there it's grown-- placing hundreds of workers on 60 farms, work she does free.
It's not just the workers but the farmer Sabin helps.
"We had to do something because we needed the help and we were pretty apprehensive about it," Rob Hunt says.
Hunt is a farmer in Addison milking about 210 cows. After his Vermont worker left, he ran an ad for six months looking for help with no luck. The hours are long; the work hard. Then he was told by another farmer about Mama Nancy.
"They said call this woman. Left a message on a machine; who I was, what I wanted. And she calls back and leaves me a message on my machine, 'I have three packages coming in the next week. If you're interested call me back,'" Hunt recalls.
Hunt says he'd rather hire Vermonters; there are no language barriers, plus this is all illegal.
"The whole thing is unnerving. Number one you are breaking the law and the sheriff goes through here every day. So you may as well put up a sign that says I'm a criminal," Hunt says.
He pays the three Mexican workers on this farm $8 an hour, plus he takes care of rent, heat, utilities and medical care. The workers do provide him documents-- that he assumes are not real-- but he still pays into workers' comp and Social Security.
"I want you to know number one I'm not exploiting these people," Hunt says.
Without the Mexican workers, Hunt says he'd have to sell the farm. And he's not alone.
Reporter Kristin Carlson: You hear the statistic that there are 2,000 Mexicans in Vermont. What do you think of that number?
"I think it probably covers Addison County," Hunt replies. "We can go around here on a gallon of gas and show you 40,000 acres here that's going to have houses on it if it's not farmed and of these 40,000 acres-- most of the cows here are getting milked by Mexicans."
Reporter Kristin Carlson: I think a lot of people have an image of what a Vermont farm is. Do you think it's time that image changes now to include Mexican laborers?
"Absolutely," Vt. Agriculture Secretary Roger Allbee answers. "There is a great discussion behind the scenes but no one wants to be terribly visible discussing it publicly.
Carlson: Why?
Allbee: I think they are afraid for themselves, I think they are afraid for their operations and I think they are afraid about their image in the community.
The Agriculture Agency has a contingency plan in case a farm is raided by federal authorities: Allbee and volunteers would milk.
He says farmers don't want to break the law, but there is no legal program to bring migrant workers to dairy farms.
Carlson: Is the state complicit in allowing this illegal activity to go on?
Allbee: I would say that the state is not being complicit in doing this; I would say the state recognizes this is an extremely difficult issue; the state has a responsibility to uphold the law. It doesn't mean that the state has to check IDs, that's not the state's responsibility."
"There is no industry that should be based on exploitation," says James Haslam, of the Vermont Workers' Center.
Haslam fights for Vermont workers' rights. He says although he's heard many farmers treat migrant workers well, there may be some farmers paying low wages.
Haslam: There are a lot of Vermonters looking for work.
Carlson: Do you think if farmers paid a higher wage they would be able to get Vermonters to do the job and they wouldn't have to go through illegal sources?
Haslam: There's no question that if you pay higher wages you get people more interested in the job.
Nancy Sabin gets messages from migrants looking for work every week and says she only places workers on farms where they are treated well and paid fairly.
Carlson: Do you think you've helped the Mexicans here have a better life?
Sabin: Absolutely.
She stays connected once they return home, sending gifts for Christmas.
"This box will probably cost 40-50 dollars," she says.
Carlson: Why do you do this if it is such an expense?
Sabin: Because they need it.
Federal Authorities have contacted her several times-- even stopping her car, but this 69 year old is not scared.
Carlson: How much longer do you think you will do this?
Sabin: Until I die.
Sabin says she hopes this will spur discussion and lead to a federal guest worker program that applies to dairy farms. But in the meantime, many of these workers and farmers are breaking the law.
http://www.wcax.com/global/story.asp?s=9381175
