MADRID, New York (WWNY) – If New York decides to force farmers to pay overtime to workers after 40 hours, Governor Hochul continues to say the state will pick up the extra costs.
Hochul’s comment came during a visit to Mapleview Dairy in Madrid Friday.
“If this happens over a long rollout time, the state of New York will pick up the additional overtime costs,” Hochul said.
The state will do so through a new tax credit, though there is some dispute over whether it will actually cover all the increased costs. Last spring, Hochul promised to protect farmers from the effects of a 40 hour week.
The tab for the overtime could be $130 million a year, indefinitely.
Farmers have long fought to stop the state from imposing a 40 hour work week for laborers, and plan to continue doing so.
Last year, the state Wage Board voted to phase in the 40 hour week.
A final report on the 40 hour week reportedly goes to the state labor commissioner in early September. It could then be several more months before a final verdict is reached.
Again on Friday, local farmers said a 40 hour week would put St. Lawrence County farmers at a disadvantage competing with other states.
“You know it’s appropriate for the worker, but what it does is, it puts us in a negative competitive disadvantage because our competition isn’t in St. Lawrence County,” said Dan Huntley from the St. Lawrence County Farm Bureau.
“Our competition is in Michigan, our competition is in Washington, our competition is in Pennsylvania, where their products – because they don’t have the same wages as high as New York – puts us at a disadvantage.”
Also Friday, the Agriculture Commissioner predicted the next few months will be rough for farmers.
“Clearly, we’re going to have a few more months of challenge,” said Richard Ball.
“I know in the world of costs, diesel fuel and all the rest of it. We’ve raised it. we’ve elevated the issue with our congressional delegation, with the White House and with the Department of Ag, but we’re in it together.”
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