Inspector General Report Critical of Labor Dept. on Work Visas
Last Updated (Monday, 29 November 1999 19:00) Written by Bruce Goldstein Tuesday, 14 October 2008 21:26
Rep. George Miller of California, the Chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, has again asked the Bush Administration to withdraw its harmful proposal to change the H-2A temporary foreign agricultural worker program.
The Department of Labor Office of Inspector General issued a confidential report about the permanent labor certification program for employment visas, concluding that the DOL is not conducting the audits that were to be the mechanism to ensure that abuses do not arise from “labor attestation” system it adopted. In the H-2A program, which requires a “labor certification” – certifying that the employer is hiring US workers and offering decent wages and working conditions – the Bush Administration has proposed to adopt the “labor attestation” approach, a minimalist approach to governmental control over the employment visa program. Under a labor attestation program, the employer simply promises to comply with the law; DOL does not monitor the employer’s application to ensure that it is recruiting in the US and offering the proper job terms. DOL claims that it will conduct after-the-fact audits, but the H-2A proposal would substantially weaken H-2A enforcement.
Rep. George Miller sent a letter to Secretary Chao stating that the confidential Inspector General report had revealed that the agency had not been adequately enforcing the law under the labor attestation/audit program of the permanent labor certification program.
Rep. Miller asked Secretary Chao to withdraw the proposal to change the H-2A and the H-2B programs’ regulations since it would adopt a similar mechanism that the OIG concluded is not working in the permanent labor certification process. There is a solution: the AgJOBS bill is a bipartisan, labor-management compromise that would change the H-2A program for the benefit of employers while increasing labor protections for workers and provide agriculture with a stable, legal labor force.
Michael Pollan on Future of Food Policy
Written by Bruce Goldstein Sunday, 12 October 2008 10:53
The Sunday New York Times magazine is a "food issue." One of the articles is a long piece by Michael Pollan on the future of food policy, seeking more fresh fruits and vegetables grown in environmentally sound ways that promote health of human beings and the enviornment. The implication is that farmworkers should be treated well but the issue of labor is not directly addressed.
There is also an article about the increasing interest among religious Jews and others who follow the rules for Kosher food in ensuring that there is a component of social justice in the criteria for meeting the traditional rules for Kosher food ("Kashruth"). Find that article here.
Kauai Vacation Charity Auction
Written by Steven Moore Sanchez Monday, 13 October 2008 09:32
Need a vacation? Want to donate to Farmworker Justice? Now you can do both! Enjoy a 7-day stay at a luxurious Hawaiian retreat and help Farmworker Justice at the same time.How?
Bring your family and friends and stay in this beautifully landscaped, spacious three-level home on a private bluff with breath-taking views of the ocean. With six bedrooms, a study, large living room and dining area, 5 bathrooms, a sauna, Jacuzzi and several outdoor decks for watching the sunset, there's plenty of space to enjoy a relaxing respite from the workaday world. What better way to warm up this winter or chill out next summer? Imagine whale watching right from your bedroom!
Thanks. And have fun bidding.
Join Us: 7th Annual Socially Responsible Wine Tasting
Written by Bruce Goldstein Thursday, 09 October 2008 16:55
Sponsor a Great Event on December 3, 2008. Taste wine made at vineyards where farmworkers are treated decently. Learn how to promote companies that respect farmworkers. And support a great cause: Farmworker Justice. Visit our special events page of our website. If you're in DC, come join us for a great evening in a wonderful location to taste wine, the Samuel Gompers hall of the AFL-CIO headquarters, featuring our favorite wine expert, Michael Franz.
Farmworker News Roundup #9
Written by barb howe Wednesday, 08 October 2008 10:47
The ag industry continues to demand immigration reform: an editorial in the Southwest Farm Press recently says "The United States is losing fruit and vegetable market share in large part because of labor issues, including an immigration system that’s clearly broken," and farmers on Long Island are hurting for workers and also calling for reform.
Latino Viewpoint Website Op-Ed on Bush Guestworker Plan
Written by Farmworker Justice Tuesday, 07 October 2008 21:01
Hispanicvista.com has published an op-ed on the Bush agricultural guestworker plan written by Farmworker Justice's Bruce Goldstein. Read it by clicking here. The Bush Administration's plan was published on February 13, 2008. Public comments were submitted by April 14. Will the Administration finalize its misguided, heartless cheap foreign labor policy plan before it leaves office? We check the official government publication, the Federal Register, every day. We will inform you if it is published.
Government Finds Labor Surplus in Major Rural Areas
Written by Bruce Goldstein Monday, 06 October 2008 16:51
A new Department of Labor Report released today announces labor surpluses in areas around the country for Fiscal Year 2009, which began October 1st. Many of the areas are counties with significant agricultural production: In California: Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare Counties, Hendry County in Florida, Yuma County in Arizona and Yakima County in Washington. In some of these counties, their agricultural products are sold for more than $1 billion per year. There are a lot of farmworkers in these counties.
The Government's report means there is more than enough labor supply in these areas. With wages low and unemployment high, the Bush Administration’s plans to slash the wage rates and labor protections in the H-2A agricultural guestworker program make no sense. Why encourage employers to bring in more cheap foreign labor with no rights when they should be encouraged to offer decent wages and working conditions to attract unemployed and underemployed immigrants and citizens?
The Administration should withdraw its plans to deregulate the H-2A program. It's the wrong approach. There also must be a policy that recognizes the need to offer legal immigration status to qualified undocumented farmworkers already in the U.S. because we need their labor but they should be treated fairly. The Administration should allow Congress to confront these issues in a bipartisan compromise that both farmworkers and employers can support.
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