Labor Dep't Approves New Rules on Farm Workers,reverse Bush administration rules

[cal04]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/02/11/us/politics/AP-US-Guest-Workers.html?_r=1

The Labor Department moved Thursday to reverse Bush administration rules that made it easier for farmers to hire temporary foreign workers to help pick their crops.

The new regulations will increase wages and offer greater job safety protections for thousands of foreign farm workers hired each year. The rules also require growers to make a greater effort to fill those jobs with domestic workers.

Farm owners have vehemently opposed changes to the H-2A guest worker program since the Obama administration first attempted to reverse them last year. Growers claim the new rules will make it more burdensome and expensive to hire foreign workers for physically grueling jobs that most Americans don't want.

But labor and immigrant rights groups claimed the Bush regulations slashed farm wages and made it harder for domestic workers to apply for those jobs.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

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[JNelson6563]

5. Ya know how someone plays a role with gusto

complete with in-character talking points and everything? Ever notice how sometimes the actor plays the role a little too perfectly?

You're either a living, breathing charicature of a Barbiturate-lefty or you're going a little heavy on the schtick.

Julie

[Joanne98]

2. I'm still waiting for those $50 an hour picking lettuce jobs McCain promised us.

[upi402]

3. Cheers to a good start! n/t

[JNelson6563]

4. Excellent news.

Force the plantation owners, er, farmers to pay livable wages to all, no matter where they came from or what color skin they have.

Julie

[Omaha Steve]

6. K & R!