NORTHAMPTON – With a bill to provide additional wage and health protections for farmworkers working its way through the state Legislature, the Northampton City Council passed a resolution to support bill S.1205, H.1979, also known as the Fairness for Farmworkers Act.

Per the resolution, the bill will “set the wage for farmworkers at the state minimum wage, provide overtime pay for all farmworkers, seasonal farmworkers will receive one and a half times their normal rate of pay for work performed in excess of 55 hours in a week, establish the right to a day of rest each week for seasonal farmworkers.”

Ward 7 Councilor and co-sponsor Rachel Maiore said the purpose in passing the resolution is to correct the issue of inequity between farmworkers and other workers in Massachusetts and for the council to show its support for the bill.

“This has been an issue that is close to my heart. There are other states that have passed similar acts to right this historic wrong. There is the poverty, there is the substandard living, and it is all compounded by immigration status and feeling kind of powerless,” she said. “I think this is long coming and I think we can all agree that farmworkers deserve the same rights as other workers in our state.”

Ward 6 Councilor and resolution co-sponsor Marianne LaBarge said she was shocked to hear the difference in pay and conditions for farmworkers.

“I could not believe this was happening to our farmworkers. It is time to make it fair and this is not fair at all, 50 to 60 hours with no overtime? You are looking at health issues here, not even a day of rest? That is not fair. Everybody deserves the rights of respective dignity, there is no question about this,” she said.

The resolution’s third co-sponsor and Ward 1 Councilor Michael Quinlan said the bill would help pay farmworkers a fair wage and live a life with dignity.

“Thinking about this resolution I spent a lot of time thinking about how privileged I am that I do not have to do the backbreaking work to farm my own vegetables. What we are talking about here is paying farmworkers a fair wage so they can afford to feed, clothe and care for themselves and their families with dignity,” he said.

Claudia Quintero, the staff attorney for the Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Project at Central West Justice Center, said the purpose of the bill is to put the pressure on the state Legislature to provide equity for all workers.

“The one thing I would like to impress upon the Northampton City Council is that we have a lot of wonderful farmers in the area, we have a lot of great local people who really care about farmworkers. The purpose of the bill is to put Massachusetts’ feet to the fire and get the state Legislature in place to provide equity for all workers,” she said.

While Maiore said she wanted to waive the second reading and pass the policy at the meeting, Councilor at-Large Bill Dwight said he was in favor of continuing with a second reading as normal.

“What we have seen so far with testimony tonight is that an issue of education has occurred and that is the strength of this. We can engage the community in a conversation about an issue they may not be too aware of, in passing two readings tonight that is the end of it, in which case the conversation does not go forward,” he said.

The council unanimously approved the first reading of the resolution to support the Fairness for Farmers Act.

Prior to the council’s discussion, nearly all of the residents who participated in the meeting’s public comment session were in support of the resolution.

The City Council next meets on Oct. 21.