Jerry Brown has signed a bill extending the same overtime rules to farmworkers as most other workers in the state have.
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In March, the importance of legislation to normalize overtime rules for California farmworkers received strong backing in a letter from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who said, “it reflects our shared commitment to fair and humane working conditions for those whose labor feed our nation and much of the world”.
The bill was sponsored by the United Farm Workers of America, which said that Brown’s passing of the bill was a victory after almost 80 years of working for the rights of farmworkers.
New legislation that would expand overtime pay for agriculture workers by 2019 was passed Monday, August 29 in California.
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California’s farmworkers were first granted overtime pay in 1976 - but only for those working a 10-hour shift, or a 60-hour workweek. “They will finally be treated equally under the law”.
Farm workers have sacrificed and lead this fight. How many employees actually ever see overtime?
“I am one of those people who thinks we should treat people with equality and fairness”, he said. Wage floors will rise gradually over the course of several years, with smaller farms getting more time to comply. This year, I have been so honored to meet and work alongside hundreds of domestic workers that help so many individuals, families and communities, as well as the many committed advocates and supporters that have been fighting tirelessly for years to ensure that domestic workers receive the dignity that they rightfully deserve.
Other states and the federal government continue to exempt farmworkers from overtime and other protections.
Employees who want the ability to work longer hours before overtime kicks in will now be forced to join a labor union to do so. Unfortunately, the FLSA failed to include agricultural workers throughout the United States.
Some industry interests said the law will backfire on farmworkers if employers reduce worker hours to avoid triggering overtime requirements.
“Today Governor Brown sent a clear message to all women in California”.
It will be a big change for agricultural employers to pay overtime for hours they traditionally haven’t had to pay overtime for, said Katherine Catlos, an attorney with Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck in San Francisco.
Yet while proponents say that the legislation is a step forward for farm workers – 80 percent of whom are immigrants, and 90 percent of whom are Latino, according to the L.A. Times – opponents say that it could actually harm workers. Adds to an already long list of reasons why businesses and farmers are leaving California.
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“We’ve been able to break the barrier for farmworkers here in California”, Rodriguez said, according to the AP.
