313 - Migrant Labor: Learning from Yesterday to Inform Today

Despite its profound and lasting impacts on work and health, occupational health physicians remain unaware of the historical Bracero guest worker program that began during World War II. The first part of this session will inform attendees about occupational hazards and social issues faced by the Braceros and will provide a comparison to workers today. While some working conditions have improved, other occupational hazards remain. Today, Mexican immigrant workers experience some of the highest rates of occupational fatalities in the United States, yet occupational physicians are often unacquainted with the specific structural challenges to safety that these workers face. The second part of this session will present the dynamic nature of international labor migration and the evolution of Mexican labor migration over the past 75 years, focusing on the current labor migration system and its impact on the occupational safety and health of immigrant workers today. The session will conclude with clinical and policy recommendations to help improve worker health and safety, focusing on immigrant workers from Mexico.