By: Melanie Forti, Programs Director
It’s a win!!! In the past weeks we have seen an increased amount of organizations and individuals joined the United Farm Workers (UFW) fight for equal treatment for farmworkers by paying them overtime. They took to the streets and to the capitol, Washington D.C., to share their stories and give first hand experiences to protest why they need overtime. On Monday, California’s Assembly Bill 1066 was finally passed, which proposes to pay farmworker for overtime. This is a win for all farmworkers and their families!
The new rule will be implemented in phases. With AB 1066 grower will have to pay time-and-a-half to farmworkers who worked more than eight hours in a day or 40 in a week and double pay for working more than 12 hours a day. The pay boosts would kick in incrementally over four years.
Usually hourly employees are paid overtime after 8 hours in a day or 40 hours a week. Farmworkers are excluded from federal overtime provisions on the Fair Labor Act of 1938 that grants employees overtime pay after working 40 hours in a single workweek. Currently, California employers are required to pay time-and-a half to farmworkers after 10 hours a day or 60 hours a week.
The Sacramento Bee shared the story of how overtime will impact farmworker Luis Altamirano and his family. To watch the video, please click here.
It is important to recognize that without farmworkers we wouldn’t have food on our tables. It’s time for farmworkers to be treated equally than other hourly employees. We believe the new rule will impact the farmworker community in a positive way. It will allow farmworkers spend more time with their families, and help prevent having children working the fields in order to help their parents make their ends meets.
Great fight! Si se puede!
http://newamericamedia.org/2016/08/fate-of-farmworker-overtime-bill-in-hands-of-the-assembly.php
http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article98703612.html#storylink=cpy
Health & Safety Programs 