President Cilento Joins Farmworkers in Albany to Demand Passage of "Farmworker Fair Labor Practices Act"

“To be clear, organized labor in the state of New York will not rest until farmworkers are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. It is disgraceful that in the year 2019 farmworkers, who perform demanding and dangerous work, still do not enjoy the same basic rights and protections as all other workers.

Over the past week and a half, at hearings across the state, we have heard fresh testimony about what we already knew: because farmworkers in New York do not have the same protections as other workers, they are uniquely susceptible to exploitation. This must end.

Now is the time to pass the Farmworker Fair Labor Practices Act. Now is the time to give farmworkers the right to form unions, overtime pay, a true day of rest, sanitary housing, and to put them on par with other workers with respect to workers’ compensation, temporary disability insurance, and the minimum wage.

On behalf of the 2.5 million members of the New York State AFL-CIO, I want to thank the bill sponsors, Senator Jessica Ramos and Assemblymember Cathy Nolan for their unwavering support on this important issue.”

Learn more about Farmworker rights by listening to the NYS AFL-CIO Union Strong podcast.