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C/O Rural & Migrant Ministry, POB 4757, Poughkeepsie, NY 12602
Memorandum in Support Seventy years ago, our elected representatives had the good wisdom to enact overtime protections that required work hours numbering greater than forty in a week to be compensated at one and one-half times the regular rate. Because southern legislators would not stand for putting African American workers on an equal footing with their white counterparts, however, farmworkers and domestic workers were excluded from overtime coverage. Since the New Deal, New York has perpetuated their exclusion from protections such as a day of rest per week. The Justice for Farmworkers Campaign urges immediate passage of a Senate bill matching A11425-a, as a step toward ending this shameful legacy of exclusion. Over many years, New York workers have come to expect a day of rest per week and overtime pay for hours worked beyond the forty-hour work week. With the passage of this bill, they will be able to approach farm work with that same expectation. New York has generously supported the agricultural industry with tax breaks and subsidies, while leaving farmworkers out in the cold. Indeed, this year witnessed a new $40,000,000 additional allocation to establish an upstate agribusiness fund. Farmworkers are long overdue for some parity. The Justice for Farmworkers Campaign strongly supports the enactment of A11425-a. For more information, contact Jordan Wells at farmworkerjustice@gmail.com.
Last Updated:06/18/2008 |
