Our Perspective
Headline
A Historic Win
for New York
Farm Workers
For far too long, farm workers in New York have
been subject to discrimination, abuse, and
exploitation. They have reported enduring 70-
hour, seven-day work weeks without overtime pay.
They toil in extreme heat in the summer months, but are cruelly denied
adequate bathroom breaks or enough access to water. Farm workers often
are forced to venture into the fields in seek of relief, where they are
subjected to exposure to ticks and potentially hazardous chemicals. For
female farm workers, this can be even more dehumanizing, exposing more
of their bodies to these hazards, and even risking sexual harassment as they
undress to relieve themselves. Women in agricultural work are at increased
risk of uterine tract infections due to their exposure in the fields.
When workers suffer from injuries or health problems — dehydration,
cuts, broken limbs — they often find they are on their own, without
adequate medical care. When they seek out medical care, they pay out of
their own pockets. Rather than risk missing work and the income they
need to survive, many agricultural workers are forced to stay on the job
despite injuries.
These workers — largely immigrants - have suffered while toiling in
a multimillion-dollar industry that often uses their documentation status
as a tool to exploit and intimidate them. And, they’ve never been able to
seek out the best tool workers have to protect them; unions and
collective bargaining. Shockingly, under New York law, they were
forbidden from bargaining collectively and exercising the rights most
New Yorkers take for granted.
The RWDSU and a coalition including the NY AFL-CIO and others
fought hard to change that, and in 2019 secured the passage of the Farm
Laborers Fair Labor Practices Act, which finally gave countless farm and
agricultural workers the right to bargain collectively and create better
lives for themselves. And now, we are already seeing results.
A group of farm workers at Pindar Vineyards in Peconic, New York,
became the first farmworkers in the state to join a union when they
became members of RWDSU Local 338 in early October. Their historic
victory makes them the first group of agricultural workers to win a union
voice so they can negotiate a contract that will ensure better pay and
working conditions. These workers — who reported discrimination while
being treated far worse than the retail “tasting staff”- have seized the
opportunity to change their jobs and their lives by joining the RWDSU.
Countless farm workers in New York can look to this worker victory
as an inspiration and the first step toward changing their own lives. With
the labor movement at their side, New York’s farm workers can finally
exercise their right to join a union, and claim dignity, respect, and a voice
on a job. By bargaining collectively, they can begin to
address they many issues they face at work.
New York’s agricultural workers are entering
a new era, and the RWDSU will be with them
every step of the way. Fighting back against
exploitation and mistreatment with the power
of collective bargaining starts now.
Caribbean L 18 ife, OCTOBER 8-14, 2021
CARIBBEAN ROUNDUP
into the country.
Highlighting the significant impact
that the pandemic has had on Guyana
and sister Caribbean Community
nations, as well as other small developing
countries, the president pointed to
the clear disparity in the system.
JAMAICA
Jamaica says it has brought the issue
of vaccination status of Jamaicans not
being recognized in the United Kingdom
to the attention of the Caribbean Community
(CARICOM) and that it intends to
raise the matter further
during bilateral talks
with London.
Minister of Foreign
Affairs and Foreign
Trade, Kamina Johnson-Smith said the
vaccination status of Jamaican nationals
is not being recognized in the United
Kingdom and some nationals have
already been impacted by this development.
The government said it is understood
that in addition to their stop-light system
Jamaica is amber- the UK has only
recognized the vaccination programs of
a few countries, such as those from the
member states of the European Union.
The minister said she has brought the
issue of the treatment of vaccination programs
to the attention of CARICOM for
action and has engaged the UK government
on the issue at the technical level.
The UK does not recognize the vaccine
code for Jamaica, causing locals who are
fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to be
designated unvaccinated on arrival in
that European country.
The foreign and trade minister said
an expanded UK list has already been
determined for October and while the
process was relatively new, the ministry
has requested data from the Ministry of
Health and Wellness to assist London
in the review of Jamaica’s vaccination
program.
TRINIDAD
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenytta is
expected to view Trinidad and Tobago
this week to meet with
Prime Minister Dr. Keith
Rowley and Cabinet officials,
Mayor of Port of
Spain Joel Martinez.
Martinez said the visit is part of the
post-pandemic plan for the world to create
new relationships.
He said countries are realizing that
after this pandemic they have to do more
to create relationship between countries
of the level of governments.
The mayor said on a local government
level, the city was approached by Ghana,
China and Guyana to partner with their
cities Kumasi, Shanghai and Georgetown
respectively.
— Compiled by Azad Ali
Continued from Page 4
By Stuart Appelbaum, President
Retail, Wholesale and Department
Store Union, UFCW
Twitter: @sappelbaum
www.rwdsu.org
/www.rwdsu.org
/www.rwdsu.org
