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Now Tague backs "Farmworkers Awareness Week," but a month ago he did not want farmworkers getting overtime pay like everyone else

Mar 28, 2023 12:21 am

On March 27, Assemblymember Chris Tague crowed about how he, "authored, introduced and passed a legislative resolution memorializing March 25-31, 2023 as Farmworkers Awareness Week in the state of New York." But while Tague was honoring farmworkers today, a month ago, he was one of the loudest advocates for not allowing farmworkers to get paid in the same way as other workers. On March 27, his press release called Tague, "A staunch advocate for New York State agriculture." On Feb. 22, a Tague press release said, "I am deeply disappointed that Commissioner Reardon did not listen to common sense, or most importantly, the farmers and farm workers impacted and reject this downstate-driven policy that has no place in our farms." Tague was commenting on the state, ten years from now, getting farmworkers overtime pay in the same way as everyone else. Currently, farmworkers have to work 60 hours to get overtime pay, while all other workers get overtime after 40 hours. The New York State Department of Labor is easing in the change gradually, so it will be another decade before New York farmworkers get overtime pay the same way that everyone else does. Tague, a Republican, represents Greene and Schoharie counties in the Assembly.