10 a.m. Tuesday in state Capitol Rm. 313
Farm workers, led by UFW president & Sen. Florez,
hand deliver overtime bill to Gov. Schwarzenegger
Dozens of farm workers from across California, led by state Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez (D-Shafter) and United Farm Workers President Arturo Rodriguez, will hand deliver Florez’s bill providing overtime pay for field laborers to Gov. Schwarzenegger during a state Capitol observance at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 20.
All of them will gather for a brief news conference in Florez’s state Capitol office, Rm. 313, where the Senate clerk will transport the official measure, SB 1121, which passed the Assembly July 1 on a 47-28 vote. Afterwards, Florez, Rodriguez and the farm workers will walk the bill downstairs and attempt to hand-deliver it to the governor. The governor will have 12 days from Tuesday to veto or sign the legislation, or let it become law without his signature.
"Overtime after eight hours a day is long overdue for farm workers," the UFW’s Rodriguez says. "It is now 70 years after everyone else got it. That’s long enough." Since the 1930s, farm workers have been excluded from national labor and protective legislation, including the Fair Labor Standards Act, federal child labor laws and the federal insecticide act. Who: California farm workers, state Sen. Dean Florez, UFW President Arturo Rodriguez. What: Hand carrying Florez’s overtime bill for farm workers to Gov. Schwarzenegger.
When: 10 a.m., Tuesday, July 20, 2002.
Where: News conference in state Capitol Rm. 313; then procession down to the governor’s office.
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Remarks by Arturo S. Rodriguez, President
United Farm Workers of America
Presenting Farm Worker Overtime Bill to Governor
July 20, 2010--State Capitol Farm workers have journeyed to their state Capitol from across the length and breath of California to participate in today’s historic observance.
It has been 72 years since farm workers were excluded from the minimum wage protections through enactment of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. It has been 34 years since California excluded farm workers from overtime after eight hours a day.
Overtime after eight hours is long overdue for farm workers. It is now more than 70 years after everyone else got it. That’s long enough.
Farm workers are not second-class workers. They do not belong to a lower class of workers in California or the nation. They are men and women who take the hardest jobs other American workers won’t take for pay other American workers won’t accept and under conditions other American workers won’t tolerate.
Farm workers are entitled to the same rights and protections other California workers have enjoyed for generations. Now is the time to end this vestige of the caste system of farm labor that treats farm workers as if they are not important workers or important human beings.
The time has come for Senator Florez’s bill. SB 1121 rights a grievous wrong that can no longer be justified or tolerated in a society where equal rights and equal justice are supposed to be more than academic theories or political rhetoric.
The farm workers will deliver SB 1121 to Governor Schwarzenegger in the hope he will deliver justice for them.
Thank you.
