California's Occupational Health and Safety Agency Sued

California's recent budget cuts have certainly been making the headlines from cutting funding on education and employment, to the shocking 100% cut of funding for domestic violence programs. However, it seems that California should be investing in employment, as United Farm Workers (co-founded by Dolores Huerta and Cezar Chevez) has recently sued California's occupational health and safety agency for employee health negligence with heat related illnesses.

UFW has suggested that California's laws regarding worker health in 2005 were too minimalistic. These laws required that employers provide water and rest time for farm workers, particularly those who work in temperatures upwards of 100 degrees. UFW argues that at least 11 farm workers have died in California since 2005 due to heat illness, and many more have been hospitalized. Dean Fryer, a spokesman for the Department of Industrial Relations, claims that "We have done more enforcement this year than we have over all in past years" (NYT article).

It has been said that more is being done to help workers, although many are hesitant to take water breaks as they are un-paid during this time. The legal status of many of the workers might also prevent workers from standing up to their bosses for fear of being fired, or deported. For more information on this topic, visit the United Farm Workers website.

Photo courtesy of rippo on flickr