First, Tiny Win for Farm Workers

A bill on Gov. Gray Davis’ desk, intended to offer farm workers a modicum of protection from abusive labor contractors, is a pale shadow of its original form, but it’s a beginning. It deserves Davis’ signature.

As passed by the Legislature after much compromise with the agriculture industry, AB 2862 would require growers only to verify that their labor contractors, who supply most of the seasonal labor in the industry, are properly licensed by the state. As it was originally drafted by Assemblywoman Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles), the bill would have required that growers share legal responsibility with the contractors for abuses against workers, mostly meaning nonpayment of wages.

The current compromise was forged during intensive negotiations sponsored by Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks) and Assemblyman and farmer Michael Machado (D-Linden). Even the California Farm Bureau, the Agricultural Council of California and the Wine Institute now support it.

The bill sets up a farm labor contractor license verification unit within the state labor commissioner’s office. It provides for penalties--including loss of license--for failure to pay wages and establishes that any person who acts as a farm labor contractor after his or her license has been suspended or revoked may be charged with a criminal misdemeanor.

The abuses against farm workers won’t end with the signing of AB 2862 into law. But the measure will certainly reduce mistreatment.