July 19, 2001
‘Strengthened’ UFW farm labor contractor bill seeks beefed up enforcement for cheating workers
United Farm Workers President Arturo Rodriguez issued the following statement today (Thursday, July 19) from the union’s Keene, Calif. headquarters after the Legislature passed AB 423, by Assembly Speaker Robert Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks), UFW-sponsored legislation to toughen penalties and boost enforcement against farm labor contractors or growers who cheat farm workers out of their pay. A similar bill was vetoed last year by Gov. Gray Davis.
We are pleased to have strengthened last year’s bill at the same time it addresses each of the governor’s concerns as expressed in his written veto message issued in September. Speaker Hertzberg’s AB 423 provides the most meaningful penalties to date for farm labor contractors or growers who cheat farm workers out of their wages.
It moves enforcement against violators from state bureaucrats in the Department of Industrial Relations to elected local district attorneys in many counties where the voices of farm workers and Latinos are increasingly being heard.
AB 423 does so by escalating the size of misdemeanor fines so that they can only be imposed after a jury trial. And instead of an enforcement system relying on state inspectors, the bill allows farm workers or their advocates to file criminal complaints with the district attorneys’ office.
We are also delighted with passage by the Legislature this week of another UFW-sponsored farm labor contractor reform bill, SB 1125, by state Senate leader John Burton. It would expand farm workers’ rights to recover their financial losses when defrauded by contractors. SB 1125 is tied–or double-joined–with AB 423 so both bills either become law or die together.
A third UFW measure, AB 638 by Assemblymember Darrell Steinberg that would require written contracts between growers and labor contractors, will be taken up at the state Capitol in January.
At long last it is time that the lowest paid, most exploited workers get some relief.
‘Strengthened’ UFW farm labor contractor bill seeks beefed up enforcement for cheating workers
United Farm Workers President Arturo Rodriguez issued the following statement today (Thursday, July 19) from the union’s Keene, Calif. headquarters after the Legislature passed AB 423, by Assembly Speaker Robert Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks), UFW-sponsored legislation to toughen penalties and boost enforcement against farm labor contractors or growers who cheat farm workers out of their pay. A similar bill was vetoed last year by Gov. Gray Davis.
We are pleased to have strengthened last year’s bill at the same time it addresses each of the governor’s concerns as expressed in his written veto message issued in September. Speaker Hertzberg’s AB 423 provides the most meaningful penalties to date for farm labor contractors or growers who cheat farm workers out of their wages.
It moves enforcement against violators from state bureaucrats in the Department of Industrial Relations to elected local district attorneys in many counties where the voices of farm workers and Latinos are increasingly being heard.
AB 423 does so by escalating the size of misdemeanor fines so that they can only be imposed after a jury trial. And instead of an enforcement system relying on state inspectors, the bill allows farm workers or their advocates to file criminal complaints with the district attorneys’ office.
We are also delighted with passage by the Legislature this week of another UFW-sponsored farm labor contractor reform bill, SB 1125, by state Senate leader John Burton. It would expand farm workers’ rights to recover their financial losses when defrauded by contractors. SB 1125 is tied–or double-joined–with AB 423 so both bills either become law or die together.
A third UFW measure, AB 638 by Assemblymember Darrell Steinberg that would require written contracts between growers and labor contractors, will be taken up at the state Capitol in January.
At long last it is time that the lowest paid, most exploited workers get some relief.
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