US Department of Labor Announces Expanded Protections for H-2A Farm Workers

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Farm workers in Sonoma CA are about to start their day in the wine grape vineyards. The plants need to have the suckers removed to maximize the water and nutrients to the main vine. There can be no wasted energy on the vines. #WeFeedYou

For more than a decade we've fought to raise wages and standards for low-wage workers across the country.

We've won raises for millions of workers, and developed new ways for workers to represent and empower ourselves!.

We continue that fight today. We Fight For A Union!

Evelyn shares a pic of her muddy rain boots from Santa Maria CA. She works in the broccoli during the winter and the mud makes her feet feel heavier and her days longer so she is even more exhausted after a day of working in the fields. #WeFeedYou

Recent rains have caused an abundance of weeds and grass in the Napa CA vineyards. Manuel is cutting the weeds to make it easier for his co workers to do the next tasks needed on this vineyard for the upcoming harvest. #WeFeedYou

Gonzalo works in the strawberry’s of Santa Maria CA. The days after a rainstorm are the hardest for him because the rows are still full of water & the cart he uses gets stuck often and his boots feel heavier when they are full of mud. It makes his long day even longer. #WeFeedYou

Rosa works 8-9 hours day in the vegetable fields of Moorpark CA. She trails a mechanical planter, filling in the spots where a leek plant was not planted. This means she bends up and down and walks for miles a day 5-6 days a week. #WeFeedYou

Amadeo is working harvesting strawberries in Oxnard CA. He works 4 days a week, 6 to 7 hours a day. He worries about earning enough to pay his family's rent. #WeFeedYou

The Farmworker Protection Rule will help ensure that the H-2A program does not have an adverse effect on the working conditions of similarly employed workers in the U.S. and includes changes that improve protections for all #farmworkers .
blog.dol.gov/2024/04/26/a-n…

Ag work has to be sustainable to the farm workers feeding this country. When workers come in as guest workers, they need to be protected— and not in a way that undercuts US farm workers by suppressing wages or lowering standards.

Today’s H2A final rule is a good step.

new from Gabe Ortíz: On May Day, Let’s Celebrate Workers’ Contributions – And Keep Fighting For Their Rights and Dignity

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'With these new rules, the power of the federal government has sided with farm workers—both those who are born here and those from other countries—who for too long have been exploited, silenced, displaced or harmed by the H-2A program.' Teresa Romero

ufw.org/united-farm-wo…

Marcelino works harvesting brussell sprouts in Oxnard CA. He spends his days hunched over cutting the vegetable and at the end of his day can barely walk from the pain in his waist. This is how he supports his family. #WeFeedYou

Farmworkers in the H-2A program are in high demand, but their rights are violated far too frequently. Today, we’re strengthening existing protections and providing many new ones in this program.

Farmworkers put food on our tables. And we have their back.

'Juan' worked as a guest worker in AR's sweet potatoes. He paid $10,000 pesos to get a work permit. He shared: Every day while laboring in the sweet potato harvest, they threatened us H-2A workers saying if we didn't complete the task, our wage would be reduced. #WeFeedYou

Manuel labored in N Carolina. He says, Guest workers are modern day slaves. We don't have water, work many hours for little pay, don't have breaks except 30 min for lunch & there aren't enough bathrooms. We H-2A workers labor 58 hour weeks for $15/hr and no overtime. #WeFeedYou

In Santa Rosa CA, it has rained on and off for weeks. This week the vineyards are finally startin to dry out and farm workers are eagerly awaiting to be recalled to work. The loss of work has put them severely behind on their bills. #WeFeedYou

🪧✊🏽Great event today organized by our multiple student labor organizations in solidarity with United Farm Workers President Teresa Romero and over a dozen farm workers‼️ UCLA Labor Studies UCLA Chicana/o and Central American Studies UCLA IRLE

A H-2A worker laboring in WA state's apples and cherries tells us: There's much we have to endure. Like the danger of an accident at work. We don't have medical protection. If we get hurt they won't bring us back. Verbal abuse and threats from those in charge. #WeFeedYou

Antonio has labored as a H-2A worker for the last 10 yrs in many crops including broccoli. He shares: Once our employer took the travel documents from our entire group of 400 workers in North Carolina. It also happened to 1000+ workers in Salinas CA. #WeFeedYou