Program Information

N.Y. States Farmworkers Prevail Over States Harvest of Shame

Series:

Subtitle:

Program Type:

Weekly Program

Featured Speakers/Commentators:

Contributor:

Ken Nash and Mimi Rosenberg Contact Contributor

Date Published:

July 5, 2019, 3:11 p.m.

Summary: Finally N.Y. States Farmworkers Prevail Over States Harvest of Shame
with
Jessica Ramos, N.Y.S Senator, Chair of Labor Committee
and
Jose Chapa, Justice for Farmworkers Legislative Campaign Coordinator, Rural & Migrant Ministry

Well celebrate and the N.Y.S. Legislatures passage of progressive bills, with gains in such diverse areas as tenants rights, drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants and yes finally labor rights for N.Y. farmworkers. Advocates for farmworkers have been engaged in a decades-long fight for basic labor and human rights for farm workers since they were exempted from a 1938 federal labor reform law " relegating them to a habitual harvest of shame, and deprivation.

"Today we are correcting a historic injustice, a remnant of Jim Crow era laws, to affirm that those farmworkers must be granted rights just as any other worker in New York, said Sen. Jessica Ramos (D-Queens). Under the new Farmworker Fair Labor Practices Act farmworkers will now have the right to unionize and overtime pay as well as the guarantee of at least one day off per week. Under the new legislation, farmworkers are also eligible for unemployment insurance, paid family leave and workers compensation benefits.

Credits: Produced by Ken Nash and Mimi Rosenberg

Notes: please notify us if you plan to broadcast this program - knash@igc.org

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