ALBANY — Senators Jen Metzger (SD-42) and Jessica Ramos (SD-13) will hold joint hearings in the Catskills/Hudson Valley, Long Island, and in Morrisville to hear public testimony on the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act S2837 – proposed state legislation that would have significant impacts on farm workers and farmers in New York. Metzger is Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee and Ramos, who is sponsoring the legislation, is Chair of the Senate Labor Committee.
“I called for joint hearings because as Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee and the representative for many farmers and farmworkers in Ulster, Orange, Delaware, and Sullivan counties, I recognize that this proposed legislation will greatly impact farming in New York,” explains Senator Jen Metzger. “It’s very important that we hear from farmers and farm workers as we weigh this legislation and make sure that we are addressing the concerns and needs of all of those who will be affected. We must take into careful consideration the realities of small and family-owned farm operations–the vast majority of farms in New York–and the long-term viability of agriculture in the state.”
In contrast to agriculture in other parts of the country, farms in New York tend to be small and family-owned: According to the 2012 USDA Agriculture census, 92 percent of the state’s farms are under 500 acres (over half are less than 100 acres), and 98 percent are family-owned.
Some of the main provisions of the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act include:
- Providing collective bargaining rights for farm workers
- Mandating overtime pay to farm workers after eight hours of work per day and 40 hours per week
- Providing unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation for farm laborers
- Including farm workers under disability laws
- Continuing to include farm workers under New York minimum wage laws
- New housing regulations
“In New York, there is a Jim Crow-era law still on our books that denies human beings— mostly black and Latino taxpaying New Yorkers— parity with nearly every other worker in this state,” said State Senator Jessica Ramos. “Farmworkers in New York State do not have the right to a day off, unemployment benefits, overtime pay, or the right to collectively bargain. That must change once and for all. These hearings across the state will ensure we hear from every stakeholder.”
“One of the most important aspects of crafting good law is hearing from all those who will be affected by it,” says Senator Rachel May (SD-53), Chair of the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources. “I have been pushing hard to hold hearings across the state on major legislation so that we can hear from as many stakeholders as possible. This hearing on the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act will ensure that the State Senate hears directly from interested parties, including farmers, farmworkers, advocates, and businesses. Our goal is to craft legislation that protects both farmworkers and farms. We all understand that it is paramount our farms remain viable while safeguarding worker protections.”
“The success and health of our agricultural sector has a tremendous impact to both the local and statewide economy, particularly in Suffolk County, as the largest agricultural producer in New York State,” says Senator Monica Martinez (SD-3). “I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues and all stakeholders to come to a common-sense solution on this matter.”
“As the organization representing New York’s farming community, we appreciate the leadership of Senator Metzger, who has been working with us since early February to ensure that hearings will take place in key agricultural communities across the state before this bill goes to the Senate floor,” says Jeff Williams, Director of Public Policy for the New York Farm Bureau. “It’s very important to our members that they have the opportunity to share their experiences and perspective.”
Hearings are free and open to the public. The hearing schedule is as follows:
April 25, 2019
11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
SUNY Morrisville – 9 Skyline Dr, Morrisville, NY 13408
Those who would like to attend and/or testify at the Morrisville hearings are asked to register at bumpus@nysenate.gov or by calling 315-478-8745
April 26, 2019
2:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Suffolk County Legislature, William J. Lindsay County Complex, William H. Rogers Building, 725 Veterans Memorial Highway, Smithtown, NY 11787. Please address any questions about the Smithtown hearings to 631-360-3356
May 2, 2019
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
SUNY Sullivan – 112 College Rd, Loch Sheldrake, NY 12759
Those who would like to attend and/or testify at the Loch Sheldrake hearings are asked to register at metzger@nysenate.gov or by calling 845-344-3311
Jen Metzger represents the 42nd Senate District, which includes all of Sullivan County and parts of Delaware, Orange, and Ulster Counties. Senator Metzger serves as Chair of the Agriculture Committee and sits on the Environmental Conservation, Education, Health, Energy and Telecommunications, Local Government, Women’s Issues, Domestic Animal Welfare, and Legislative Commission on Rural Resources Committees.
–The Office of Senator Jen Metzger (SD-42)
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