Catherwood LibraryILR School

In a follow-up to their historic victory last year in achieving the first and only agricultural labor arbitration legislation in the country (see WIT for Oct. 1, 2002), the United Farm Workers have joined with the California Medical Association (CMA) to fight for farm laborer health insurance. Two-thirds of California's 400,000 to 700,000 farm workers lack any insurance whatsoever, and are completely dependent on emergency room visits as the only form of health care available to them---contributing to the state and nationwide health insurance crises (see WIT's for Feb. 12, 2002 and March 5, 2003). Seeking to remedy this situation in the midst of a budget crisis, the UFW and the CMA will tomorrow unveil legislation co-written by the Democratic State Assembly Speaker that replaces grower tax breaks with tax credits for growers who provide health insurance to employees.