From the Morning Memo:
Republicans representing some of Western New York’s more rural districts are disappointed with a state Appellate Court ruling backing the rights of farmworkers to organize and collectively bargain.
Assemblyman Steve Hawley, a Batavia Republican, said he was “deeply disappointed” with the decision, both in substance and what he calls judicial overreach that is keeping the New York Farm Bureau from litigating the case in trial court.
“Make no mistake, if the Court of Appeals doesn’t overturn this decision, it will mark the end of family farms in New York state, wiping out hundreds of thousands of jobs, billions of dollars in economic impact and generations of time-honored tradition older than New York state itself. It’s imperative that the New York Farm Bureau’s appeal is successful,” said Hawley.
The bureau has already signaled it will appeal.
The state Legislature is considering a bill called the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act that codifies labor rights like the ones in the ruling.
Republicans, including state Sen. Rob Ortt, of North Tonawanda, have made it a priority to try to stop the bill from passing in the final weeks of the session, which supporters believe is now more likely as a result of this court decision.
“After (Thursday’s) ruling, the last thing we need to do is pass the Farmworkers Fair Labor Act, which goes far beyond today’s ruling, and adds even more regulations on the backs of those responsible for growing our food,” Ortt said.
The legislation is currently in both the Senate and Assembly Labor committees.