The New York State Assembly passed a bill on Monday that would give farm workers the right to collectively bargain, disability and unemployment benefits, an eight-hour work day and an expansion of other state codes. Supporters say that bill merely gives farm workers the same protections as other workers in the state, while opponents say that it will hurt small family farmers. The bill still needs to be passed by the State Senate, where it failed by four votes in 2010. The governor has said that he supports the bill and hopes it passes.
See "Assembly acts to extend farm workers' rights", Casey Seiler, Albany Times Union, May 13, 2013