N.Y. farmers protest bill that would make them pay overtime and unemployment insurance

New York farmers fighting a bill that would subject them to state labor laws on overtime and unemployment staged a slow-drive protest on the New York State Thruway in Genesee County yesterday, reports Howard Owens of The Batavian.

"Le Roy dairy farmer Dale Stein, who helped lead the protest, said it appears the protest was effective," Owens writes. "He received a call this evening and was told Gov. David Paterson heard about the protest and immediately called a meeting with the agricutlure commissioner to discuss the legislation."

Assembly Bill 1857 would "require farmers to pay time-and-a-half for over time, allow farm workers to join labor unions, require a day off during harvest season, will require farmers to pay into the unemployment system, among other provisions," Owens reported when it passed 85-57 on June 8. He noted yesterday that it still "awaits consideration by the dysfunctional Senate," Owens notes. Here is the latest from the Senate, via The New York Times.