Justice for Farmworkers Campaign: Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State

Position Paper | Exclusions | Pride of NY Restaurant Endorsers | Updates

After many years of resistance, the NYS Senate finally brought the Farmworker Fair Labor Practices Act to the Senate floor for a debate and vote on the night of Tuesday, August 3, 2010. The bill failed to pass. We can not pretend that this is not a huge disappointment that stings, but it is not the end of our journey.

An editorial published on August 6, 2010 in the NY Daily News gives a good rundown of those who put politics above principle in voting to maintain the exclusion of farmworkers from fundamental labor protections: "They broke their word: State Senate hypocrites betray farmworkers again"

2011 UPDATE

Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, has reintroduced the Farmworker Fair Labor Practices Act in the Assembly (A 1652). We are now looking for co-sponsors in the Assembly.

The Senate has gone back into Republican control (by one seat). One of our lead sponsors in years past, Sen. Joe Robach (R-Rochester) is now the chair of the Labor Committee. We have not heard of his intentions. The Farmworker Fair Labor Practices Act (S1862) has been reintroduced into the Senate by Sen. Espaillat (D-Manhattan).

Read about Farmworker Albany Day on June 14. Please TAKE ACTION HERE by contacting your senator in support of the the Farmworker Fair Labor Practices Act.

Follow our work in the Updates section which includes links to both the 2009 Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act (A.1867/ S.2247) and the bill as amended in Jan. 2010 (S.2247b) and as reintroduced (S.7787) in May 2010. There are also links to more than a dozen editorials and opinion pieces calling for farmworker rights.

Join us in the struggle for equal rights. Visit the farmworkers section of the Rural and Migrant Ministry site and the 2010 site for the Justice for Farmworkers Campaign. In addition to campaign updates, check our TAKE ACTION section if you are able to spend a few minutes today reaching out to your NY state senator.

Since the 1930s New York’s farmworkers have been excluded from the same rights and protections that most other workers take for granted, including a day of rest per week, overtime pay, disability insurance, and the right to bargain collectively with their employers. The Justice for Farmworkers Campaign brings together a remarkable coalition of faith communities, students and labor to stand with farmworkers in an effort to gain equality under New York State labor law.

Only recently have farmworkers been granted the right to clean drinking water in the fields, sanitation facilities, and the right to the same minimum wage as other workers, but the exclusions still remain. The bill currently in the NY State Legislature would remove these exclusions and grant farmworkers the dignity and equality they deserve. A New York Times editorial agrees: "Farm Workers' Rights, 70 Years Overdue" (April 6, 2009).

800 Troy-Schenectady Road Latham, NY 12110-2455 ph. 518/ 213-6000 fax 518/ 213-6414 info@labor-religion.org