Is California's Great Central Valley the Appalachia of the West?

Written by Bruce Goldstein Saturday, 06 February 2010 13:24

The Economist Magazine (Jan. 23, p. 30) contends that "California's agricultural heartland threatens to become a wasteland" due to failure to develop agriculture in a sustainable way, scarce water, failure to diversify the economy and endemic poverty.  While the article seems to exaggerate to some degree, it is "one of the poorest regions of the country."  The Great Central Valley, 450 miles long includes vast expanses of agricultural lands.  Tulare County produces about $3.3 billlion worth of agricultural products per year, second to Fresno County.    The 2008 median income for individuals in California was about $61,000, but the median income in Tulare County, a major agricultural-production county, was about $44,000.  (USDA ERS data.) Meanwhile, in California, 75% of farmworkers earn less than $15,000 per year and 43% earn less than $10,000 per year (2003-04 data). 

Agribusiness Group Ranks Immigration/Labor as Key

Written by Bruce Goldstein Saturday, 06 February 2010 09:03

"The California Grape and Tree Fruit League ranks labor and immigration rules as the most pressing issues facing agriculture in 2010," according to the Capital Press, a Northwest industry trade paper.  The CGTFL has been a major player on behalf of agricultural employers on immigration and labor issues in Congress for decades.

The growers' strong interest arises in part from fears of immigration enforcement and concern that Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis is about to reverse the Bush-Chao changes to the wage rates and working conditions under the nation's agricultural guestworker program.

Congress needs to harness the the growers' and workers' common interest in immigration and labor reforms.  If Congress does not act, our government will once again demonstrate its failure to address serious problems for which there are solutions with broad support. The AgJOBS immigration legislation is a bipartisan bill that resulted from a labor-management compromise.  Our broken immigration system and the vulnerable, inadequate situation for farmworkers deserve a government response, and AgJOBS is the answer.

UPDATE: Solicitor of Labor Nominee Confirmed

Written by Bruce Goldstein Friday, 29 January 2010 09:47

On Wednesday, the Senate voted 60 to 37 to confirm Patricia Smith as Solicitor of Labor and she was sworn in.  Ms. Smith, the labor commissioner for New York State, is now the chief lawyer for the U.S.Department of Labor and is responsible for enforcement of the wage and hour laws and the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act ("AWPA").  Her confirmation is good news for working people.

 

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On Monday, 60 Senators voted to move forward on the Solicitor of Labor nomination, overcoming the threatened filibuster on Patricia Smith.  A formal vote on the nomination itself should happen Wednesday.  Yay!

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Senate Majority Leader Reid on Thursday filed a motion for “cloture” seeking to overcome a threatened filibuster by winning 60 votes to end debate on two nominations that have been held up. One of them is M. Patricia Smith, the nominee for the position of Solicitor of Labor, the Department of Labor’s chief attorney, who is responsible for enforcing employment laws such as the FLSA, AWPA, OSHA, FMLA, ERISA, and a host of other acronyms that stand for vitally important laws to protect working people. Ms. Smith is the labor commission for the state of New York and is highly respected for finding effective ways to enforce employment laws for low-wage workers. Reid’s move could bring to a conclusion the unwarranted hold on Smith’s nomination by next week. We hope the Senate acts responsibly by finally confirming this worthy nominee.  Unfortunately, the position of Wage and Hour Administrator is still unfilled; the previous nominee withdrew due to the Senate's delay.

Why is it that some Senators claim to want law enforcement but when it comes to labor law enforcement for working people, they take all steps they can to obstruct enforcement of longstanding laws, like the minimum wage?  Just asking.

 

Florida farmworkers suffer continued job losses due to bad weather

Written by barb howe Wednesday, 27 January 2010 10:08

Although moderate temperatures have returned to Florida, the unusually cold weather that hit the states a few weeks ago is having a continuing effect on farmworkers there who have been left without work and will continue to be without work until crops recover or new crops are ready.  A University of Florida economist says migrant and seasonal farmworkers will suffer $23.7 million in lost wages.  Source: NaplesNews.com.

February 2010 -- An Important Month for Farmworkers

Written by Bruce Goldstein Friday, 22 January 2010 19:15

The history of farmworkers in this country is very much tied to the history of labor and immigration policy.  Next month, we expect that the U.S. Department of Labor will publish major changes to the H-2A temporary foreign agricultural worker program, the nation's agricultural guestworker program.  Farmworker Justice collaborated with farmworker unions and other advocates to press Secretary of Labor Solis to reverse the harsh changes made by the Bush-Chao Administration in January 2009 -- just 3 days before leaving office. 

When the new regulations are issued, Farmworker Justice will help organizations and farmworkers understand the new wage, benefits, recruitment and other requirements and help them enforce their rights.  Agribusiness groups already have promised to sue Secretary Solis if she finalizes the proposal she published recently.  We will be there to help farmworkers explain to the court why agribusiness' greedy claims should be rejected as as matter of law.  Farmworkers suffered an unconscionable pay cut of $1 to $2 per hour and the loss of many protections.  Secretary Solis is correct to restore and enhance protections.

You can help Farmworker Justice continue its 28-year history of advocacy, litigation and education regarding the H-2A program and farmworkers' rights under labor and immigration law.  Make a tax-deductible donation with a credit card by clicking on the box at the bottom of the page.  Or send a check to Farmworker Justice, 1126 16th Street, N.W., Suite 270, Washington, D.C. 20036.  Your donation of $25, $50 or $100 goes a long way becasue FJ is a lean, efficient, dedicated organization relied upon by farmworkers for high quality service.  Thank you.

New York State Farmworker Rights Bill Faces Challenges

Written by Bruce Goldstein Friday, 22 January 2010 09:06

The NY state senate's labor committee approved the revised version of a proposed farmworker labor rights bill with plans to move it toward a vote. But an effort to avoid review of the bill by the state senate agricultural committee failed. The chair of the ag. committee is a strong opponent of the bill. "The bill's aim is to provide overtime pay, rest days, collective bargaining and unemployment benefits to farm laborers. Opponents, including the New York Farm Bureau, have argued that those regulations would force farmers to cut jobs, limit employees' hours or close their farms."  See the Waterdown Daily Times article from Jan. 22.  An earlier article also describes the process.

 The Justice for Farmworkers Campaign in New York is a coalition that is leading the legislative effort.  http://www.justiceforfarmworkers.org/pages/releases.html