Work and Covid-19 in four viticultural areas

Abstract

In March 2020 the world was faced with Covid-19. Many countries closed their borders and economies, with the exception of essential economic activities. One of these essential activities, viticulture, depends on a precarious, racialized, mobile, and global labour force. This article analyzes the impact of the pandemic in the viticultural zones of Canada, the United States, Argentina, and Spain. Although the pandemic has made visible the essential character of this labour force, the article concludes that workers who labor in viticulture continue to be poorly paid and experience precarious and vulnerable lives.