Agricultural Migrant Workers’ Overtime Pay

CONCURRED

WHEREAS, agricultural migrant workers employed on farms in the State of Maryland are entitled to overtime pay only after working sixty (60) hours during a work week; and

WHEREAS, agricultural migrant workers perform a necessary function and contribute to the economy of the State of Maryland and other states; and

WHEREAS, agricultural migrant workers are disproportionately people of color; and

WHEREAS, agricultural migrant workers are morally entitled to earn a decent wage and to be treated equally in the labor force; and

WHEREAS, legislation supported by the Maryland State Conference of the NAACP Branches was proposed in the 1999 session of the Maryland General Assembly to rectify the discrepancy and overtime pay discrimination against agricultural migrant workers; and

WHEREAS, the proposed legislation was reported unfavorably by the Maryland House of Delegates' Economic Matters Committee causing the existing overtime provision to remain in effect; and

WHEREAS, prior to 1981 the amount of time agricultural migrant workers had to work to earn overtime was no different than other workers.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the plight of agricultural migrant workers be brought to the attention of the Nation and that action be taken to eliminate the unfair and discriminatory treatment that they are subjected to in the State of Maryland; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that action be taken to ascertain the manner in which agricultural migrant workers are treated in every State with respect to overtime pay and working conditions; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that all NAACP Units (Branches, Youth Councils, College Chapters, State Conferences and the National Board) take steps to repeal any laws that allow agricultural migrant workers in their service areas to be treated differently from other workers with respect to overtime pay and other working conditions; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP pursue efforts to change the Federal Wage and Hour Law that would legallyrequire seasonal agricultural migrant workers to be eligible for overtime pay after working forty (40) hours per work week in lieu of the current sixty (60) hours.