“From being the inspiration of our nation’s meals system to standing on the frontlines of our nation’s continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic, farm staff carry out work that’s important for our nation,” Booker mentioned. Tweets and pictures from UFW and UFWF confirmed Booker beginning the day by harvesting lettuce, then shifting to a cleansing station to assist wash arugula.
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Like Padilla earlier this month, Booker criticized the shortage of everlasting protections and full office rights for farmworkers even supposing they assist feed the nation.
“For a lot too lengthy, nonetheless, a lot of them have been denied fundamental authorized protections, advantages, and a pathway to citizenship,” Booker continued. “I’m grateful for individuals who shared their tales with me as we speak. It’s lengthy overdue for Congress to behave to guard farm staff and our meals system.”
“I’m glad Senator Booker took the chance to return and work alongside extremely expert farm staff like these he met as we speak in New Jersey,” mentioned UFW President Teresa Romero. “Farm staff have achieved the expert and sometimes grueling work to maintain our meals provide secure disaster after disaster. The Senate must work simply as exhausting for them. I hope extra members of Congress settle for our invitation to hitch us within the fields and see for themselves simply how a lot talent this troublesome work requires.”
Earlier this month, Padilla joined staff to assist harvest radishes and parsley. If you’ll be able to entry contemporary produce, your meals acquired to your grocer due to the palms of farmworkers like UFW members. Now there’s an opportunity that inside the final couple of weeks, it acquired there by the palms of both Padilla or Booker. Notably lacking from the record of people that have taken up the “Take Our Jobs” dedication are all different members of the U.S. Senate, who additionally profit from the labor of farmworkers, together with these with out authorized standing.
“The ‘Take Our Jobs’ marketing campaign was first launched in 2010, with greater than 4 million Individuals visiting an internet site arrange by the union,” the discharge mentioned. “The UFW supplied to hyperlink unemployed individuals in the course of the 2008 recession with jobs in agriculture close to their properties wherever in America. Out of the 4 million-plus who visited the positioning, solely 11 folks responded to the UFW’s provide to work within the fields.”
Whereas laws that might put undocumented farmworkers handed the Home of Representatives final 12 months 247-174 (with assist from 30 Republicans), Booker and Padilla haven’t been in a position to vote on it as a result of the invoice can’t get to the ground as a result of Jim Crow filibuster. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act’s passage within the Home underneath Democratic management marked the primary time in many years that the chamber had handed an agricultural labor immigration invoice.
“We applaud Senator Booker for taking the time to spend a day working within the fields alongside farm staff to spotlight the necessity for immigration reform,” mentioned UFW Basis Government Director Diana Tellefson Torres. “Day in and time out, farm staff present as much as work to nourish us all. Simply as farm staff toil away within the fields to feed households all around the U.S., we hope that each one 100 senators commit themselves to work simply as exhausting for these courageous women and men and do all they’ll to go immigration reform.”
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