Interviews with Haitian Migrant Sugar Workers in Cuba
Richard Fahoome MIS

Abstract
The experiences of the Haitian sugar workers interviewed in Eastern Cuba gives some insight into the transformation from slave labor to wage labor. Haitian sugar workers were brought into Eastern Cuba via company and private contractors to provide cheap migrant labor. The wage system of labor mainly took the form of piece wages. The Haitian migrants had few rights in Cuba with regard to labor organization. The constant threat of hunger by the bare minimum of pay by the piece kept the migrants working both day and night. The work experiences, living conditions, social relations, and cultural activities of the Haitian sugar workers in Cuba are discussed through personal histories.

Full Text: PDF