Growers Use Same Old Arguments to Justify Denying Overtime to Farmworkers

Written by Bruce Goldstein Monday, 09 August 2010 19:11

"We are not factories."

  -- Phillip Brumley, President, San Joaquin Farm Bureau (California). "Governor properly vetoed farm worker overtime bill," Aug. 7, 2010, approving Gov. Schwarzenegger's veto of bill to create overtime pay for farmworkers after 40 hours of work per week.

"Factories in the Field:  The Story of Migratory Farm Labor in California"

  --  book by Carey McWilliams, published 1939.

 

Huffington Post piece touts AgJOBS bill as responsible, if unsexy

Written by Bruce Goldstein Sunday, 08 August 2010 07:58

Philip Wolgin in the Huffpost wrote: " the U.S. has the highest unemployment rate in years, but no Americans willing to take the agricultural jobs that feed its population. The U.S. has over 8 million immigrants already in the country, but with no possibility of obtaining a legal visa.  . . . . So when pundits talk about undocumented immigrants having to "get to the back of the line," before than can gain legal status, we need to understand that there is no line to get in -- there are simply nowhere near enough visas given to handle the demand for immigrant labor.

"Thankfully a tentative first step has been taken toward solving the problem, in the form of the AgJOBS bill. According to Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA), a co-sponsors of the legislation, the bill would allow many of the undocumented workers already in the country to receive legal status to continue to work at their jobs and make the temporary work visa for agriculture (H-2A) better suited to America's labor needs. Sadly AgJOBS has been held up in the fight for CIR.

"No matter when or in what shape immigration reform occurs, I hope that changes to the visa system are part of it."

New Jersey Radio Station Explains Farmworkers' Plight and Immigration Policy

Written by Bruce Goldstein Thursday, 05 August 2010 17:46

The radio station 101.5FM in New Jersey did a 3-part series on farmworkers and immigration policy. Farmworker JusticeI was quoted in the radio version and in the written piece on the third day, today (Thursday). The UFW's Giev Kashkooli also was quoted today. The series included interviews with CATA, the Farmworker Support Committee in New Jersey, and with farmworkers working in the stifling heat. http://www.nj1015.com/pages/7830317.php  A nice series by Martin DiCaro.

Farmworker Justice Statement CA Gov veto of farmworker overtime bill

Written by Bruce Goldstein Thursday, 29 July 2010 13:26

Yesterday Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed California legislation that would have extended overtime pay to agricultural workers, The govenor's veto of this bill deprives poor farmworkers of the opportunity for higher incomes, and continues the unconscionable discrimination in labor laws against farmworkers that should have ended decades ago.  Many people spoke out in support of this bill.  Here is the UFW's statement in response to the governor's veto.  Below are some of the Op-Eds and Editorials in support of the bill that appeared in recent weeks.

Time to End Discrimination Against Hard Working Latino Farm Workers    Op-Ed by State Senator Darrell Steinberg in California Majority Report

Overtime Parity -Stockton Record

California farmworkers deserve overtime The Bakersfield Californian