Farm Workers

I went to a rally/celebration put on by a group called PCUN. PCUN tries to organize farmworkers. Most of their members are Latinos. They were celebrating a new law in Oregon that gives farmworkers the right to have a 10 minute break for every four hours they work. Everyone in this country has the right to go to the bathroom without it being docked from your pay except farmworkers . Now at least in Oregon they do.
They also gained the right to a 30 minute unpaid lunch break if they work eight hours. This is really important because the farmworkers are exposed to a lot of chemicals( pesticides and fertilizers) and they need this time to wash their hands and faces to minimize exposure.
Now, I don't want to rain on their parade. This was a big victory for farmworkers but the realization that this is what these people consider a victory is disturbing. These men and women had to fight for the right to have a ten minute break during 4 hours of strenuous labor. This should have been a no brainer. Excluding them from the basic rights we include in our labor laws is tantamount to biting the hands that feed us.
Next we should work on paying them minimum wage.
Si Se Puede!