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| TOWARD AUTHENTIC WORKPLACE JUSTICE IN THE HUDSON VALLEY | |
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NY Immigration Coalition Senate Legislative Alert |
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There will be a Special State Legislative Session on November 10 to vote on a budget modification possibly including many cuts to schools, health care and community programs. In addition to opposing budget cuts to school aid, health/Medicaid and social services (citizenship, refugee and adult literacy programs), urge the Senate to pass the following priority bills that have already passed the Assembly and will improve the lives of immigrant New Yorkers. Farm Workers Fair Labor Practices Act S2247, Onorato: 28 Sponsors; Passed Labor Committee & Reported to Codes Committee A1867, Nolan: Passed Assembly Farm workers perform necessary, arduous labor and are entitled to the same workplace protections as other workers. This Act would provide farm workers the rights to organize and bargain collectively, to a day off per week, and to overtime pay. The Act would extend coverage to agricultural workers under the state's Temporary Disability Insurance program. The Act would grant collective bargaining rights, require sanitary compliance at farm and food processing labor camps, mandate reporting of injuries, and guarantee at least 24 consecutive hours of rest each week and 8 hour work days plus overtime rates. Domestic Workers Bill of Rights S2311-A, Savino: 26 Sponsors; Passed Labor & Codes Committees; Reported to Finance A1470-B, Wright: Passed Assembly Many domestic workers immigrate to the U.S. to escape poverty in their country. They are regularly forced to work six-day week, and receive little or no pay. Domestic workers are uniquely isolated and vulnerable, unable to collectively bargain, and often abused, mistreated. Even if a domestic worker leaves their employer, they are not guaranteed time to remain in the U.S. to seek legal redress. The Bill of Rights would institute paid time off and a weekly day of rest, protection from discrimination, and notice of termination for domestic workers. Strengthen Rent Regulation/Repeal Vacancy Decontrol S2237, Stewart-Cousins: 24 Sponsors; Reported to Housing Committee A2005, Rosenthal: Passed Assembly The shortage of affordable housing in NYC, Westchester, Nassau, and Rockland is an acute crisis. Rent regulation is the most effective means of preserving affordable housing. However, under vacancy decontrol, over 300,000 rent-stabilized units were removed from regulation – in some cases by landlords withholding services, inflating or falsifying renovation costs, and harassing tenants to vacate units. Repealing vacancy decontrol is essential to protecting the state's precious supply of affordable housing. |