We expect the Bush administration's Department of Labor to shortly announce new guestworker (H2A) regulations. These regulations, if adopted, will gut existing protections for both domestic and foreign farmworkers and represent a huge step backwards in protecting the hardworking people who put the food on our table.
These regulations will lower farmworker wages, make it easier for local workers to be discriminated against in hiring, and harder for farm workers to obtain decent housing.
Numerous recent media reports document how the Bush Administration is making a last minute push to get these and other regulations out before he leaves office.
Please join us in telling the Department of Labor's Assistant Secretary for Policy, Leon R. Sequeira, not to issue these revised regulations. The American people spoke loudly on November 4th and said they had enough of the Bush Administration's anti-worker, anti-immigrant policies. Tell the Department of Labor to allow Congress and the next Administration to address these issues.
The American people spoke loudly on November 4th, and said we've had enough of the Bush Administration's tired policies and want significant change in Washington DC.
I urge the Department of Labor not to issue revised H-2A regulations. These regulations will substantially worsen the quality of life for both domestic and foreign guestworkers by lowering wages, increasing discrimination in employment, and making it hard for workers to find decent housing.
There are reasonable solutions to address farm labor issues. The planned H-2A regulation changes are inappropriate and wrong. Please allow Congress and the next Administration to address these issues. The change the American people voted for needs to start today.
