Hearings set for farmworkers act

FRITZ MAYER
Posted 4/3/19

ALBANY, NY — State senators Jen Metzger and Jessica Ramos will hold a series of four public hearings May 2 to hear public comment on the proposed Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices (FFLPA) Act. …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Hearings set for farmworkers act

Posted

ALBANY, NY — State senators Jen Metzger and Jessica Ramos will hold a series of four public hearings May 2 to hear public comment on the proposed Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices (FFLPA) Act.

Labor law regarding farm workers in New York, dating back to the Jim Crow era, prevents farm workers from the right to engage in collective bargaining, the right to collect overtime pay, the right to a day off and the right to collect workers’ compensation when injured on the job.

The Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act, which has come up for discussion at various times over the past 20 years, would change those practices. However, before lawmakers consider it, Metzger  and Ramos want to hear from the people it would impact.

“I called for joint hearings because as chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee and the representative for many farmers and farmworkers in Ulster, Orange, Delaware and Sullivan counties, I recognize that this proposed legislation will greatly impact farming in New York,” said Metzger. “It’s very important that we hear from farmers and farm workers as we weigh this legislation and make sure that we are addressing the concerns and needs of all of those who will be affected. We must take into careful consideration the realities of small and family-owned farm operations—the vast majority of farms in New York—and the long-term viability of agriculture in the state.”

Unlike much of the rest of the country, farms in New York are generally small, family-owned operations. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 92% of the farms are less than 500 acres and more than half are less the 100 acres.

Sen. Rachel May, chair of the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources said, “This hearing on the FFLPA will ensure that the state senate hears directly from interested parties, including farmers, farmworkers, advocates and businesses. Our goal is to craft legislation that protects both farmworkers and farms. We all understand that it is paramount our farms remain viable while safeguarding worker protections.”

The New York Farm Bureau (NYFB) has been opposed to elements of the FFLPA in the past.  A statement on the organization’s website from NYFB President David Fisher says, “New York Farm Bureau is appreciative of Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Jen Metzger’s announcement that she will hold three joint hearings with Senate Labor Chair Jessica Ramos on the Farmworker Fair Labor Practices Act.

“There is some agreement on aspects of the bill, including allowing for a day of rest for employees. However, enacting overtime beyond 40-hours a week and eight-hours a day would be a difficult financial burden to bear. Farms compete in a marketplace and can’t just pass along price increases to recoup their losses, especially in this difficult farm economy. The farm labor legislation, as written, will force farms out of business, hurting the very workers the legislation is looking to assist.”

Four hearings are scheduled to be held in the Hudson Valley and on Long Island. Locally, a hearing will be held on May 2 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at SUNY Sullivan in Loch Sheldrake.  Those who would like to attend and/or testify at the Loch Sheldrake hearing are asked to register at metzger@nysenate.gov or by calling 845/344-3311.

news, FFLPA Act, labor laws, agriculture, new york state

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here