NEW YORK—Joined by farm workers, advocates, union officials and other lawmakers, New York State Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada, Jr. (D-Bronx) held a press conference on Tuesday to cast a spotlight on rights violations against farm workers—a workforce that consists primarily of Latino immigrants–and to urge the State Senate to pass the Farm Workers Fair Labor Practices Act at this Thursday’s legislative session in Albany.

“Farm workers are categorically excluded from laws that provide basic rights and protections to virtually all other workers across the state. This exclusion has translated into horrific working conditions, including 14-hour days, seven days a week, tremendous suffering and violations of human dignity, even alleged sexual abuse,” Sen. Espada said.

“Farm workers from around the state have been sharing their horror stories with me in recent weeks. They want the Senate to take a position on the Farm Workers Fair Labor Practices Act. On the heels of celebrating Labor Day and honoring workers and organized labor, passage of the proposed legislation would provide an historic opportunity, and long overdue action, for the Senate to eliminate the structural inequality against farm workers that has unjustly persisted in state law,” Sen. Espada said.

Joining Sen. Espada at the late morning press conference at 250 Broadway in support of the Farm Workers Fair Practices Act were Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan, the Assembly’s long-time prime sponsor of the bill; Alyssa Talanker, representing Sen. George Onorato, the Senate’s co-prime sponsor; Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU); The Reverend Richard Witt, director of Rural & Migrant Ministry, and two long-time farm workers.

The farm workers spoke at the press conference of workplace abuses and horrific conditions that they and thousands of other immigrant farm workers, mostly of Hispanic and Latino origin, face every day.

Sen. Espada, a co-sponsor of the Senate bill, noted that passing the Farm Workers Fair Labor Practices Act would be the highest tribute that the Senate could provide to the late Senator Olga Mendez and U.S. Senator Robert Kennedy.

Sen. Espada was a member of a task force assembled by Sen. Mendez, who championed the cause of farm workers. Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert Kennedy, took up her father’s cause and has been a vocal advocate on the plight of farm workers.

“All working people in New York State, particularly in this difficult economy, need to know that the government is working for them. With Labor Day still fresh in our minds, the Senate has the opportunity to make real change, as promised by the new leadership in the New York State Senate,” Sen. Espada said.

Espada Urges Action to Help State’s Farm Workers

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