Farmworkers Denied Overtime - Statement of New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento

Albany – The Department of Labor’s Wage Board process has proven a waste of time. The disappointing result is farmworkers will continue to suffer and not receive overtime after 40 hours like nearly every other worker in this state.  

Make no mistake, despite claims to the contrary, COVID-19 is no justification for inaction.  The cruel and ironic fact is farmworkers have never used the pandemic as an excuse for not getting their job done; they worked through it all so that we can remain safe and fed.  Worst of all, the pleas of farmworkers have been cast aside, and the false sense of hope that their plight finally mattered has been smashed to pieces. We have fought alongside farmworkers for 20 years and will continue to do so as long as it takes to achieve justice.

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The New York State AFL-CIO is a federation of 3,000 unions, representing 2.5 million members, retirees and their families with one goal; to raise the standard of living and quality of life of all working people. We keep New York State Union Strong by fighting for better wages, better benefits and better working conditions. For more information on the Labor Movement in New York, visit www.nysaflcio.org.