Farmers Lead Plantiffs Group on Rule Allowing Foreign Workers to Organize
- The U.S. Labor Department’s rule that would require agricultural employers to allow temporary foreign farm workers to organize for union representation without congressional approval is being challenged in a Georgia federal court by a group of plaintiffs, led by the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association.
- Represented by the Southeastern Legal Foundation, the plaintiffs charged that DoL “claims that it has authority to do so under the Immigration Reform and Control Act, even though that congressional statute – which grants temporary H-2A employment visas to migrant farm workers—never so much as mentions the right to form unions,” according to a post on the Foundation’s website.
- Miles Berry Farm and the attorneys general of more than 12 states have joined in the group.
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Safety Council Report Posits DEI Linked to Worker Disability
- A National Safety Council report published Monday claimed that prevention of the leading cause of worker disability, musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), should include diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) factors.
- The report, published through a NSC-initiative, MSD Solutions Lab with funding from Amazon, identifies workplace factors that can lead to discriminatory MSD outcomes and provides solutions for mitigation.
- “This report, which analyzes the impact of diversity, equity and inclusion on the largest category of workplace injuries, underscores our commitment to advancing equitable outcomes within the occupational safety landscape,” said Lorraine Martin, NSC president and CEO.
- According to Martin, the report is “intended to be a starting point for organizations to use to work towards building a safer workplace for all employees.”
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UN Labor Organization Pushes Forest Worker Protections
- The International Labour Organization has updated its code of practice on safety and health in forestry work.
- The results of the UN agency’s meeting last month of experts from governments and employers’ and workers’ organizations, are aimed at improving working conditions and practices in the forestry sector, which the ILO said is one of the world’s most-hazardous sectors.
- The code will be presented to the ILO Governing Body for formal approval and publication in November this year.
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