UFW Condemns Porpiglia Farm Owners’ intimidation of workers and threats against UFW organizer
Riepilogo
Date Reported: 23 Ago 2023
Location: Stati Uniti d'America
Companies
Porpiglia Farms - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Giamaica , Agriculture & livestock , Gender not reported , Documented migrants ) , Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Messico , Agriculture & livestock , Gender not reported )Issues
Intimidation , Harassment (other than sexual) , Freedom of Association , Freedom of Assembly , Right to Unionisation , Racial, ethnicity, caste or origin discriminationResponse
Response sought: Yes, by News outlet
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: United Farm Workers filed an unfair labour practice charge in response. The company has denied the allegations, arguing the union was improperly established despite certification by the labour authorities.
Source type: NGO
On August 21st, a UFW-led meeting inside a farm workers’ living quarters was forcibly raided and broken up by the owners of Porpiglia Farms... [who] forced their way into Mexican and Jamaican workers’ living space without permission alongside two additional, unknown, white men... leading many workers to run from the premises or hide in their rooms. The 4 men also verbally and physically threatened to arrest a lone female UFW organizer into leaving the property, in violation of New York labor law.
The United Farm Workers is certified to represent the Jamaican and Mexican H2A visa workers at Porpiglia Farms. Therefore, UFW representatives have a legal right under New York law to visit with the workers it represents, regardless of the fact that worker housing is on employer property. The reality that workers’ housing and visa are both dependent on their employer opens H2A visa workers to retaliation and abuse. Both Mexican and Jamaican H2A workers at Porpiglia Farms have voted to join the United Farm Workers to alleviate abusive working and living conditions, as well as for protection against retaliation...
In response to these actions, the United Farm Workers has filed an Unfair Labor Practice with the New York State Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) against Porpiglia Farms...