Legislative Actions on Overtime Pay and Collective Bargaining and their Implications for Farm Employers in New York State, 2009-2010
Agricultural workers in most states are exempt from some labor law provisions that apply to employees in most other workplaces. In New York State agricultural labor advocates and farmers have battled politically over this issue for more than four decades. Two of the most contentious issues are collective bargaining and overtime pay. Currently laws for most other workers grant rights to employees who engage in union organizing activities. In addition, most employers are required to pay an overtime rate of time and one half for hours worked over 40 per week. In New York, labor advocates would like to see both of these exemptions for agriculture removed. Eleven states in the United States have laws that protect agricultural workers who wish to engage in collective bargaining and union organizing activities. In addition, four states have overtime pay provisions for agricultural workers. Introduced in the New York State Legislature in 2009, the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act would have provided farmworkers with collective bargaining rights and overtime pay. It also contained other provisions viewed as having less impact on the agricultural industry. The proposal reignited a contentious debate and political standoff between farm business interests and the state’s labor advocates. The bill passed the Assembly on June 8, 2009. Leaders in the Senate had difficulty getting the bill to the Senate floor for a vote. Finally, as part of the 2010 state budget battle, Senator Pedro Espada, Senate Majority Leader, was successful in bringing about a vote. The legislation was defeated by a margin of three votes. Seldom has farmworker rights legislation gotten so close to passing both houses of the New York State Legislature with the prospect the Governor would sign it. The future prospects for overtime pay and collective bargaining rights for New York’s agricultural workers will continue to be dependent upon which political party controls the State Senate. The November 2010 elections resulted in the Republican Party recapturing the Senate majority making it unlikely that legislation similar to the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act will be enacted in the near future. Both sides are extremely well organized and it appears possible this standoff could continue for many more years
Coloniality of power, critical realism and critical consciousness: the three “C” framework
ABSTRACT Typical pedagogical practices center Whiteness, particularly when teaching about racism and racial justice. This article offers a framework that de-centers the White frame using: coloniality of power, critical realism, critical consciousness. The coloniality of power analyzes the order of social relations and embedded hegemonic structures in the US. Critical realism posits a multi-layered construct of reality encompassing subjugated experiences, illustrating how dominant groups can share these experiences. Critical consciousness explains the need for all individuals to identify mechanisms of oppression that maintain, perpetuate, and sustain the exclusion and subjugation of BIPOC. Together, these three concepts create a foundation highlighting accountability and agency.
Effect of grapevine leafroll virus on vine growth and fruit yield and quality
On the Vinifera variety Mission and the hybrid grapevine Baco 22A, growing on their own roots, spring growth was delayed by grapevine leaf-roll virus. Cane and root growth of Mission vines was considerably reduced by the virus, but it had little effect on growth of Baco 22A. Leafroll virus reduced fruit yield of Mission vines by an average of 66 percent and sugar content of grapes by 30 percent, corresponding figures for Baco 22A being 44 percent and 9 percent respectively. Tartaric acid content of grapes at harvest was not appreciably affected by the disease. Pigment concentration in wine made from grapes of infected vines of the red-fruited Mission variety was approximately half that in wine made from grapes of healthy vines.