Republished from Physicians for Social Responsibility

There is still time to voice your support of farmworker overtime pay. Call or email your legislators today!

Farmworkers are critical to Oregon’s economy and society. In a year of pandemic, catastrophic fires, and dangerous levels of air quality, farmworkers continued to work, despite serious risks to their health, to make sure that we have food available. It is time that we demonstrate our commitment to economic security for all of our workers by extending overtime pay to farmworkers through House Bill 4002.

Here are some action steps you can take to support farmworker overtime pay:

• Contact your legislators and encourage them to support HB 4002 farmworker overtime legislation in 2022.
• Learn more about the multifaceted impacts of overtime on farmworkers’ health, safety, and wellbeing.

Find your state legislators’ email address and phone number and encourage them to support HB 4002.

Here is a sample script for your emails and calls:

Dear [Representative/Senator],

My name is _______, and I live in _________. 

I am writing to you today in support of farmworker overtime. Farmworkers should receive overtime pay after 40 hours in a work week at one and one-half times the employee’s regular rate of pay. Farmworkers deserve dignity, respect, and labor rights. For too long they have been denied rights that other workers have been afforded. Extending overtime pay protections to farmworkers will create better health conditions and longer lives for farmworkers. Farmworkers should be able to spend more time with their families or tend to other responsibilities, instead of spending most of their lives at work. I urge you to pass HB 4002 farmworker overtime legislation in the 2022 Legislative Session to ensure that farmworkers in Oregon are paid fairly for their skilled and essential labor. 

Sincerely, 

[Your name, city, ZIP code]