Support Farm Workers Fair Labor Practices Act

Level of Government: State

I am writing to you as both your constituent and as a member of the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) to seek your support in enacting the "Farm Workers Fair Labor Practices Act" (A-1867/S-2247) during the current 2009 legislative session.

The Farm Worker Fair Labor Practices Act (herein "The Act") provides the basic necessary labor rights and protections to farm workers who are currently denied these rights in New York state. The rights that enactment of this legislation would provide and which are currently afforded to all New Yorker workers, except for farm workers; include:

• a day of rest each week;
• the right to overtime pay;
• the choice to form a union and collectively bargain;
• sanitary housing and working conditions; and
• workers compensation.

Agriculture is New York's largest industry and farm workers have labored tirelessly on farms over the decades to maintain such industry as well as to provide all New York state citizens with the invaluable produce and supplies needed to survive. Shamefully, however, we fail to honor the dignity and worth of agricultural workers through the respect and equal treatment they justly deserve. Rather, they are treated unequally by being denied rights and protections like being paid a competitive decent wage and by being forced to work without health insurance.

Opponents of the Farm Worker Fair Labor Practices Act have argued that farm workers should be denied the rights in the bill because agricultural work is seasonal and vulnerable to natural forces and, therefore, work stoppages and additional costs will lead to an utter breakdown of the agricultural industry. However, in examining these claims, they have proven to be baseless. Other states have enacted laws to provide farm workers the same rights and protections outlined in the Act without total deterioration of the agricultural industry. In fact, in some states, the agriculture industry had prospered. Other seasonal business like tourism and construction continue to survive and are required to provide the same basic rights and protections to those employees; yet farm workers are treated discriminatorily.

I ask that you actively support this legislation and take prompt action to ensure equal rights for farm workers. It is unjust and unacceptable for farm workers to be refused the basic labor, safety and health protections other workers in our state enjoy. I hope and anticipate that you will work for prompt passage of this important human and civil rights legislation.

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