The law that Inslee said during the signing ceremony said he would be named after the local farm worker and activist Tomás Villanueva follows a recent ruling by the Washington Supreme Court which found that “overtime exemption for dairy workers is against the constitution,” reports Yakima Herald. “Dairy workers have been paid overtime since the court ruling last fall. The new law removes the exemption for all farm workers. “
The historical nature of the law caught the attention of President Joe Biden. “For too long – and in large part because of racial exclusions introduced generations ago – farm workers have been denied some of the most basic rights that workers in almost every other sector have long enjoyed, including the right to forty years. Hourly workweek and overtime pay, “he said in a statement.
“I was proud to stand with farm workers during the Obama-Biden administration when California passed the country’s first farm labor overtime bill, and I am proud to stand with Washington State farm workers today,” the president continued and used the declaration to support legislation that would extend these necessary rights to farm workers across the country.
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It has been a great honor for me to work with @UFW members like Ana, who has worked in the fields for 16 years and still fights for justice. Our new law on overtime pay is also another step for racial justice @stateinnovation https://t.co/MqhEfxlxil
– Karen Keizer (@ KarenKeiser1) May 12, 2021
The UFW said that UFW workers leaders in Washington state “held meetings and talks at city hall for months with lawmakers and stakeholders in the legislature to get support for the legislation. After intensive cooperation negotiations, the law was passed with overwhelming support from both parties. “It is a monumental victory for farm workers and their lawyers in the state, but too many continue to be left without vital protection.
“Farming is difficult work,” said Cruz. “During my five years as a dairy worker, I’ve seen firsthand how much workers sacrifice. In dairies, the injuries are constant. Many of us worked 16-hour shifts with no overtime pay. Agriculture is Washington’s second largest industry. Washington ranks number two in the nation in terms of the number of farm workers. Our state’s 230,000 farm workers help generate $ 7.9 billion each year. Farm workers feed us all. “
“Many thanks to Senator Karen Keizer and all of our allies who have stood up for this,” Cruz continued in the statement. “Above all, a big thank you to all workers who have never given up the fight for equal treatment with other workers.” Inslee said in a tweet after signing The “[t]The COVID-19 pandemic has put a new focus on the challenges frontline workers face. The bills I am signing today are an affirmation of the lessons we have learned and offer hope for a stronger way forward. “
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