|
Official Press Release
Global's Response to the Verdict in Perez Farias v. Global, Green Acre & Valley Fruit
Today in Yakima Washington, nine jurors decided to penalize 2nd and 4th generation American farmers and a California company for using the federal H-2A guest worker program.
This ruling is another nail in the coffin of the American agricultural industry. It is a ruling against the use of laborers who come to this country legally through the H-2A guest worker program and farmers who try to comply with law. Using the H-2A process to bring in foreign laborers to do jobs that Americans won't do, apparently makes one a target for law suits.
All of the workers in this case either quit or were terminated for cause. The workers who were terminated, lost their jobs because they were illegal, did not show up to work, or performed so badly that the farmers were losing money by continuing to employ them.
Global Horizons was asked by the farmers to provide a legal, stable workforce to fill their labor needs. This became an impossible task. On the one hand, the INS is increasing the pressure on employers to stop hiring illegal aliens. On the other hand, the United States Department of Labor and Columbia Legal Services are forcing farmers to hire illegal workers and keep them regardless of whether they do their job. It is a lose-lose situation. It puts the farm in the position to either hire illegals or go bankrupt.
Verdicts like this are driving the entire agricultural industry oversees. It is a bad day for farmers and a bad day for America.
Global will appeal.
|
|
|
