5,000 signatures reached
To: Senator Jon Ossoff
Are you kidding Senator Ossoff? Cutting farm worker wages?
People from all over the US walked, donated, and supported you during your crucial election. We are aghast that you have joined a Republican in introducing S.874, legislation to slash wages for H-2A farm workers. At a time when inflation is driving up the cost of living everywhere, imposing a pay cut on farm workers -- among the lowest paid -- is unbelievable. Do the right thing. Remove your name from S.874.
Why is this important?
Farm workers are facing a major threat to their wages again and need your help. An unexpected move has been made by Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, who joined forces with a Republican in introducing legislation that aims to slash wages for H-2A workers in Georgia and across the United States.
Senator Ossoff's disregard for farm workers is especially shocking given that he co-sponsored legislation aimed at raising the federal minimum wage to $15 and has been a champion for paid leave and for the right to join a union. In fact, just last year, he wrote a letter to the Department of Labor stating, "farmworkers play a critical role sustaining our nation's food supply, yet they remain subject to exploitation and abuse through the H-2A visa program."
Georgia is already one of the most brutal states for H-2A workers. As we've shared before, in Georgia's Blooming Onion case, the H-2A program is an abusive program that has resulted in trafficking, rape, and multiple deaths. These abuses are not isolated and have occurred around the country. If this bill passes, growers in Georgia would reduce H-2A worker pay by 14%.
At a time when inflation is driving up the cost of living everywhere, imposing a pay cut on the backs of farm workers -- who are among the lowest paid -- is unbelievable. If passed, agribusiness in Georgia would pocket approximately $42 million of farm workers' wages and result in farm workers losing over $400 million across the nation. The Trump administration tried similar tactics and we won a lawsuit to stop them. It is beyond astonishing that Senator Ossoff would follow the tactics of the Trump administration.
Sign our petition asking Senator Ossoff to take his name off this bill.
Senator Ossoff's disregard for farm workers is especially shocking given that he co-sponsored legislation aimed at raising the federal minimum wage to $15 and has been a champion for paid leave and for the right to join a union. In fact, just last year, he wrote a letter to the Department of Labor stating, "farmworkers play a critical role sustaining our nation's food supply, yet they remain subject to exploitation and abuse through the H-2A visa program."
Georgia is already one of the most brutal states for H-2A workers. As we've shared before, in Georgia's Blooming Onion case, the H-2A program is an abusive program that has resulted in trafficking, rape, and multiple deaths. These abuses are not isolated and have occurred around the country. If this bill passes, growers in Georgia would reduce H-2A worker pay by 14%.
At a time when inflation is driving up the cost of living everywhere, imposing a pay cut on the backs of farm workers -- who are among the lowest paid -- is unbelievable. If passed, agribusiness in Georgia would pocket approximately $42 million of farm workers' wages and result in farm workers losing over $400 million across the nation. The Trump administration tried similar tactics and we won a lawsuit to stop them. It is beyond astonishing that Senator Ossoff would follow the tactics of the Trump administration.
Sign our petition asking Senator Ossoff to take his name off this bill.