People who harvest or gather crops by hand, such as fruit, cotton, or vegetables; can also mean tools used for picking or choosing.
From Old English 'piccan' possibly from Old French 'piker,' the word originally meant 'to thrust' or 'peck.' The noun 'picker' evolved to mean one who performs the picking action.
Agricultural pickers are among the most exploited workers globally, yet they're essential to our food system—ironically, the jobs we most depend on are often the most underpaid and hardest to do.
Agricultural and domestic picking labor was heavily feminized and racialized throughout 19th-20th centuries, with women and people of color confined to low-wage picking roles while management remained male-dominated.
Use 'pickers' descriptively for the role itself, but ensure discussion acknowledges labor history and current wage equity across genders and communities.
["harvest workers","agricultural laborers"]
Women agricultural workers, particularly Latinx and Black women, pioneered labor organizing in picking industries—their union leadership deserves recognition.
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