Albany, NY – All workers have a right to organize and collectively bargain except farm workers in New York
State. These workers performing a critical role are excluded from certain rights other employees enjoy. This is due to New York legislation called the Employee Relations Act. In 1930, this was enacted to benefit farmers since they claim the bill was needed because of the “unique challenges of farming.”
This anti-worker legislation has been upheld recently in a state Supreme Court’s dismissal of a lawsuit that would have given farm workers collective bargaining rights. The New York Civil Libertiea Union, which filed the 2016 suit plans to appeal this decision.
