NYS Senate Committee on Agriculture meeting - 4/20/10

NYS Senate Committee on Agriculture meeting - 4/20/10

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News & Politics

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• NYS
• Senate
• Committee
• on
• Agriculture
• meeting
• 4/20/10

[ChrisPawelski]

Sen. Breslin, do you really think having the unemployment insurance exemption level matching the federal standard and recognizing that farm work isn't comparable to making widgets in a factory really constitutes being denied "basic human rights, civil rights?"

Really? Really? Really?

[ChrisPawelski]

Do you believe everything espoused by Richard Witt and repeat as if it's gospel? If Richard Witt told you farmers force farmworkers to live in a shoe and eat pop tarts made of monkey crap would you believe and repeat that too?

Really? Really? Really?

[ChrisPawelski]

The simple fact is, to state or imply what Sen. Breslin claims, with a straight face no less, the stunningly simplistic and outlandishly false allegations that farmworkers in NYS "have toiled in the background, in the dark, for over 70 years in this state without any kind of basic rights"

either

A. Sen. Breslin is totally clueless

OR

B. Sen. Breslin is totally pandering to the religious orgs and labor unions driving this legislation.

Neither option is very palatable.

[ChrisPawelski]

This legislation is being driven by non-profits, specifically religious non-profits. Many of these labor law exemptions also apply to the employees of religious orgs. In fact, as the NY Times excellent 5 part series In Gods Name by Diana B. Henriques that ran in October of 2006 pointed out, when it comes to labor law protections the employees of religious orgs are dismally protected.

[ChrisPawelski]

If we are all concerned about everyone being treated the same let's also end all of the exemptions. That's right, the labor law as well as the tax and other exemptions religious orgs benefit from as well. In fact, let's start with them, since they are the ones pushing this agenda. What a shame they don't lead by example, isn't it?

[ChrisPawelski]

Doesn't it remind everyone of this scripture:

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Luke 6:41-42

[ChrisPawelski]

Sen. Breslin: "Farm laborers have toiled in the background, in the dark, for over 70 years in this state without any kind of basic rights.... (farmworkers) deserve basic human rights, civil rights, which they have been denied."

This is unadulterated propaganda and crap. Over a dozen federal, state and local governmental agencies oversee a plethora of laws that govern both the working AND living conditions of farmworkers in NYS, making them probably the most protected workforces in NYS.

[ChrisPawelski]

Further, there are a number of government funded programs, including free daycare centers and healthcare centers throughout the state, that exist for and in most cases exclusively in behalf of farmworkers. The only person toiling "in the dark" here is Sen. Breslin.

And can we expect Sen. Breslin to work to give the "basic right" he decries farmworkers aren't covered by, overtime, to his employees, those that "toil," the staff, of the NYS legislature? The hypocrisy is astounding.