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...