FOIA Lawsuit Against US Department of Labor
In December, 2007, we filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Labor for failing to provide us with timely copies of H-2A applications. As the largest farm workers union in the country, we believe that we should receive timely copies of these applications to ensure our members and extended community. Click here to read our press release on this lawsuit and a selection of the resulting media coverage.
Opposing the Proposed Bush Adminstration gutting of the H-2A program
The UFW earlier this year submitted comments along with organizations around the country opposing the Bush Administration’s efforts to gut the existing H-2A program. If enacted, these proposed changes would drastically lower working conditions and wages for both foreign and domestic farm workers. Click here to read the comments we submitted to both US Dept of Labor and Homeland Security
Advocating for Domestic Workers
The H-2A program is only supposed to be used when there is a shortage of domestic farm workers. Earlier this year, the UFW supported workers employed at Tanimura and Antle (T&A) who were laid off, while at the same time, their employer had brought in over 200 foreign guestworkers. The UFW filed an administrative complaint with the US Department of Labor, demanding that T&A be disbarred from the H-2A program for such flagrant discrimination against domestic workers. Several of the domestic workers involved in speaking out were later rehired.