California Farm Workers Hope A Bill Passes Giving Them The Same Overtime Rights As Other Workers

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/13897

Submitted by Doug Cunningham on July 21, 2010 - 3:35pm
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Farm workers in California are hoping a bill will pass that will put their hourly rights more on par with other employment sectors. Currently farm workers in California receive overtime after a 10 hour day or 60 hours in a week. The new bill would pay time and a half after an eight hour day or a 40 hour week. Currently farm workers earn on average $9 to $10 per hour. The California Farm Bureau says if such a bill does pass farmers are threatening to cut hours. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has not taken a position on the bill. He has gone both ways when it comes to support for farm workers – vetoing a bill that would have made it easier to form a union and signing a strong law that implemented strong heat regulations.

[FreakinDJ]

1. Shit they already hire illegalls to avoid the laws

What more can the greedy bastards do to screw over workers

[Travis_0004]

2. I agree with overtime after 40 hours, but disagree with overtime after 8 hours a day

I would be strongly against overtime after 8 hours in a day. I work 4 10 hour days, and its so much better than 5 8 hour days. It gives me an extra day off to do whatever I want, and I spend less time in traffic going to work.

We need laws mandating overtime after 40 hours, but I think it would take away options that farm workers and owners might like.

I do realize farm work is more difficult than my job, but if they work more than 8 hours a day, they will eventually work a shorter day, or hit the 40 hour barrier and get overtime anyway (if the law was changes)