Farmworker Legal Services of New York

Crackdown on Illegal Workers in NY

Yellow Moon Broadcasting — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:50:09 GMT

This is a re-broadcast of a news story from WAMC, Northeast Public Radio. Commenting in this story is Owen Thompson, Farmworker Legal Services of New York, Inc. Please note that FLSNY is not responsible for the content of this story other than the comments made by Owen. The title of this story uses the phrase "illegal workers". FLSNY does not support the use of this term to identify workers who may not possess documents that satisfy the United States government requirements to work in the U.S.

Ashley's Summer Internship

Yellow Moon Broadcasting — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:13:27 GMT

Each year FLSNY is fortunate to have law school interns for the summer. Here Ashley talks about her experience as an intern.

The Struggle of Farm Worker Women

Yellow Moon Broadcasting — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:29:19 GMT

http://flsny.yellowmoonbroadcasting.com/2008/07/14/the-struggle-of-farm-worker-women.aspx

Cheryl Gee and Alina Diaz, advocates from FLSNY, show us a glimpse of the struggles of farm worker women through pictures and interviews produced by Danielle Finkelstein.

Danielle Finkelstein graduated from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University, in May of 2008 with a degree in photojournalism.

She is now working as a freelance photojournalist in New York City.

She has a strong commitment to issues of immigration and human rights.

Ms. Finkelstein can be reached via email at dbfinkel@syr.edu or phone at (516.633.8263).

Continuing the discussion of human trafficking

Yellow Moon Broadcasting — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:25:14 GMT

Owen, outreach worker for Farmworker Legal Services of New York, Inc., participates in a continuing conversation with Peg about human trafficking.

Trafficking 101

Yellow Moon Broadcasting — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:31:15 GMT

Forced Labor: Trends in Labor Trafficking and Indicators for Victim Identification

Last month, representatives from the Farmworker Legal Services of New York (FLSNY) conducted a free, online training (see below for WebEx
link) for members of Rescue & Restore focused on human trafficking and the farmworker community. FLSNY underscored the conditions that may lead migrant workers into forced labor situations. The training also highlighted the need for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and service providers to train their members on working with the migrant farmworker community and connecting to local agencies that can provide immediate and long-term assistance to victims.

In addition to agricultural migrant work, forced labor in the United States can occur in the following situations: domestic service; small businesses; "Mom and Pop" operations (tree-cutting, nail salons, restaurants, industrial cleaning); factories; construction sites; and even peddling/begging rings. Labor trafficking victims can be U.S.
citizens or people from other countries. They may be young children, teenagers, or adult men and women.

Victims are often lured with false promises of good jobs and better lives, and then forced to work under the threat of violence or some other form of punishment, and often in inhuman conditions. In situations of forced labor, traffickers exert a degree of ownership over the victim and restrict the victim's physical and psychological freedom.
Victims are often kept isolated to prevent them from getting help.
Also, victims may have their work or travel documents confiscated by traffickers, only to be blackmailed by the traffickers regarding their status as undocumented aliens or their participation in an illegal industry. Traffickers also keep victims compliant by threatening to report them to law enforcement or immigration officials.

Labor trafficking can take the form of debt bondage in which the victim's work is demanded as repayment for a loan or services, and terms and conditions have not been defined. For example, the value of the work of the person in bondage is greater than the original sum of money "borrowed," but the debt is not forgiven.

Possible indicators that a victim of labor trafficking might display include (but are not limited to) the following: malnourishment; signs of physical abuse, such as bruises, broken bones, burns and scarring; skin or respiratory problems caused by exposure to chemicals; infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis and hepatitis, which are spread in overcrowded work environments with limited ventilation; substance abuse problems; untreated injuries; pelvic pain, urinary tract problems (if sexually exploited as well); and psychological problems such as shock, denial, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic attacks, and phobias.

Renan Raps for Farm Workers

Yellow Moon Broadcasting — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:44:16 GMT

Renan Raps for Farm Workers
These are the lyrics to latest Renan tune under the name of Sai

65 years we’ve been importing men as cattle
while we rattle their existence like they’re enemies in battle.
From the Bracero to the H-2A we make them work and
then we make them pay with prison if they wish to stay.
Pick that fruit! cut the cabbage, milk the cow
quick fast ‘cause we think of them as savage;
call them illegal if they have no working papers
then convince the population that there eagle came to rape us.
Or is it ego that prevents us from surrendering to equal treatment?
logic is a lonely friend.
Is it predicting end to all existence that has made us distant
from the punch that makes the breathless bend?
Play pretend with politicians if you wish
but I don’t want to fish their fish, I rather play with ammunition.
My deadly weapon is my word and
I will have their stories heard before a wall assumes submission.

-Sai-

Jim Schmidt discusses working and living conditions of farm workers in NY state

Yellow Moon Broadcasting — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 11:50:08 GMT

The most dangerous employment in New York State is to work as a farm worker. Back-breaking hours in the field should be followed by comfortable living arrangements, hot showers, and good food. Is this what migrant and seasonal farm workers can look forward to after a 10 to 12 hour day in the fields? Not a chance...
Jim gives us the real story of working and living conditions for farm workers in New York.

Jim Schmidt discusses NYS drivers licenses for undocumented farm workers

Yellow Moon Broadcasting — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 10:23:48 GMT

Jim Schmidt Responds to the Issue of Licensing Undocumented Farm Workers in New York State

Since 2002, New York State has required applicants for a New York State driver license to have a valid social security number. Governor Eliot Spitzer changed that requirement to allow applicants to present a foreign passport as proof of identity, thus providing a mechanism for hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants to be issued a driver license. Many people see this as a positive step for migrant and seasonal farm workers. Jim Schmidt talks about the issue and how migrant and seasonal farm workers have been the victim of discriminatory policies because of the post 9/11 politics of fear.

Renowned documentary film maker Robert Bilheimer Meets with FLSNY to discuss his latest feature length film, Not My Life, Slavery in our time

Yellow Moon Broadcasting — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:16:56 GMT

Robert Bilheimer, President of Worldwide Documentaries, is a world-renown, Oscar nominated director of films that delve into the human tragedies of today’s global community. In 1989 his film, Cry of Reason, about South African anti-apartheid leader was nominated for an Academy Award. His 2003 feature-length film A Closer Walk focused on the global AIDs epidemic. He visited Farmworker Legal Services to interview FLSNY staff for his latest project on human trafficking and modern-day slavery. In his film, Not My Life, Slavery in our time, he takes us on a journey into the depravity of trafficking, its global roots, and its pervasiveness.

Global does not mean every place outside of the United States. Global does not mean New York State is exempt from trafficking. On the contrary, Mr. Bilheimer is here today because FLSNY daily reaches out to agricultural workers in New York State to investigate human trafficking.

Renan Salgado discusses human trafficking and immigration issues

Yellow Moon Broadcasting — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 12:47:11 GMT

Human trafficking, modern day slavery, is pervasive in the farm worker community. FLSNY is the key player in combating human trafficking. Renan actively investigates incidents of trafficking. Listen to his first-hand account of his day to day activities.

Deepa Premnath and Pesticide Exposure in Farm Worker Families

Yellow Moon Broadcasting — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 20:13:15 GMT

Pesticides are an issue that extends beyond the workplace and into the homes of farmworkers through "take home exposure." Here, we discuss the implications of this exposure for farmworker families.

Deepa Premnath talks about Pesticides and Farm Workers

Yellow Moon Broadcasting — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 10:45:21 GMT

Pesticide exposure is a very real problem for farmworkers throughout the United States. Pesticides can have very serious effects both in the short- and long-term on workers’ health. FLSNY has an outreach and education program that focuses on: health effects, protections that exist for workers, and what workers can further to do protect themselves. Here we discuss this outreach program and the occupational exposure to chemicals that is a daily reality of farmworkers’ lives.

Jim Schmidt talks about immigration policy

Yellow Moon Broadcasting — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 15:59:25 GMT

Jim Schmidt, former director of FLSNY, talks about the history of the farm worker movement in New York State.

Introducing Farmworker Legal Services of New York, Inc.

Yellow Moon Broadcasting — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 13:44:46 GMT

Farmworker Legal Services of New York, Inc. (FLSNY) is a not-for-profit corporation providing free legal services to New York's migrant and seasonal agricultural workers. FLSNY's lawyers and paralegals provide a wide range of legal advocacy on behalf of farm workers. FLSNY seeks to assure that agricultural employers and housing providers in New York and nationwide comply with the law, that government entities respect farm workers' civil rights, and that the public is educated about farm worker exclusions from existing labor laws.

Human Trafficking

Yellow Moon Broadcasting — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 14:03:28 GMT

Farm workers live in isolated labor camps and have limited access to community services. Farm workers also have limited access to telephones and transportation. In addition, local communities and government institutions do little to include farm workers in their civic events, provide services nor do they actively support farm workers exercising their rights as equal members of the community . Compounding the problem these barriers create is the targeting of Latino farm workers by local and state police to enforce immigration related laws. This profiling further limits the farm workers ability to freely shop, visit health clinics and even attend church services. This environment allows trafficking to continue and severely limits victims option to escape from this environment. Farm workers, as Edward R. Murrow said in 1960 are the forgotten poor, the constituency of no one.

Farmworker Legal Services of New York, Inc. provides comprehensive legal services to farm worker victims of human trafficking, which is often called modern day slavery. This podcast provides a brief glimpse into the work being done to combat the victimization of a vulnerable population.