“The state Senate, to its disgrace, has denied farm workers the basic labor
protections taken for granted by other New York workers. The harvest of shame lives on.”
- Friday, August 6, 2010 (Source)
Samuel Rudin Arc
The farm workers’ view:
- http://www.labor-religion.org/farmworkers-updates.htm
- http://www.takepart.com/issues/migrant-workers-rights/33243
Iona College
The Farmer’s point of view: “The bill would have required employers of farm laborers to give their workers at least 24 consecutive hours of rest each week and would have required farm owners to pay workers time-and-a-half after the first 10 hours of work in a day. The bill also would have made the provisions of the unemployment insurance law applicable to farm workers, according to the Senate’s website.”
Sen. Betty Little, R-Queensbury, called the bill onerous and damaging to farmers: “To add these rules and regulations – a day off and overtime pay – is just increasing the costs to the farmers,” she said. “Most of the farmers in this area treat their help very well. Good help is hard to come by, and once you have it, you work to keep it. These rules and regulations were really over the top.” – Source.
The farm workers’ and the farmers’ issues collide again – this time in the state of New York. On reading the headlines and reading both sides, I think of Cesar Chavez who dedicated his whole life for the rights of migrant workers. The above sites are interesting readings for Labor Day Weekend — or maybe before the weekend. The New York State debate touches upon agriculture issues still facing our country today.
Depicting Edmund Rice with Students
New York State is making news this summer along with the Farm Bill defeat. Another headline from the www.westchesterguardian.com on 8-26-10 said, “The Nations First Statewide Tea Party is Born In New York.” I am not participating in New York politics but am keeping an eye on its decisions and happenings.
Sports Field
As promised, my blog today has pictures of Iona College in its beautiful setting in Westchester County. Many of the students have arrived this week looking quite young or maybe it is that every year I get older. I am thinking these students are first year students.
Student Housing
Iona College Library
For me, I am continuing to spend my time taking long walks in between hospital visits in White Plains and talking with people. New Rochelle has grown up over the years and like most towns that have done so, much still remains the same. For one thing, the squirrels continue to eat just before sundown. When I take my walk at that time, I am bombarded with empty small acorns and the like being thrown down from the trees.
On My Walk
Beauty
