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New
York State Labor-Religion Coalition Legislative Memorandum of Support
This legislation enacts the “Farm Workers Fair Labor Practices Act” which provides farm workers equal rights and protections under the Labor Law. Currently, farm workers are exempted from most rights and protections afforded under this law. This Act grants farm workers collective bargaining rights, provides at least 24 consecutive hours of rest each week and establishes an eight-hour workday for farm workers. It includes farm workers within the group of those employees who have the right to overtime pay when they exceed 40 hours of work in a calendar week. In addition, this legislation provides for Protective Labor Practices, a “work agreement” that is defined and standardized, the application of the Sanitary Code to all housing and equalized coverage for unemployment insurance for farm workers. Finally, this legislation amends the Workers Compensation Law by removing the exclusion of farm workers from state disability coverage. It requires employers of farm workers to provide appropriate forms for worker’s compensation claims in both Spanish and English and requires the reporting of injuries to employers of farm workers. STATEMENT OF SUPPORT: In recent years, the New York State Legislature has addressed some farm worker exemptions by granting drinking water and sanitation facilities in the fields. While these are important first steps, the overall exclusion remains and must be addressed in order for New York State to affirm that it is committed to the notion that all workers are entitled to dignity and respect. The combination of benefits and protections in this act would grant farm workers and their families greater financial security and stability, which would also benefit the communities within which they live. The legislation would also benefit small family farms. By "raising the bar" in agriculture, those farm owners committed to the fair and just treatment of workers would no longer have to compete with less principled owners whose labor costs are lower. The Legislature should no longer deny farm workers in this state the basic labor, safety and health protections they deserve. THE NEW YORK STATE LABOR-RELIGION COALITION STRONGLY SUPPORTS ENACTMENT OF THIS BILL February 3, 2006
Last Updated:05/03/2006 |